Yemeni government forces have taken control of the strategic Bab el-Mandeb region, which was previously under the control of the Houthis. The operation is part of the ongoing military campaign “Yemen Dawn“, Anadolu Agency reports, News.bg reports.
Military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Majid Abdullah al-Nuzaili said that the government-backed “Southern Giants“ brigades and “National Shield“ forces “have successfully taken control of Bab el-Mandeb“.
In a series of posts on the American social platform, H al-Nuzaili announced that government forces had also established control over Dhubab airport, while also cutting off the road link between Dhubab and Moha.
According to him, hundreds of Houthi fighters were surrounded in the Dhubab area. The military spokesman called on them to surrender, adding that some of the rebels later managed to escape by boat at sea.
Later, the Yemeni army confirmed that government forces had captured Dhubab and strategic positions around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait after clashes with the Houthis.
The official Yemeni news agency “Saba“ reported that the forces of “The Shield of the Nation“ and the government-backed Southern Giants Brigades, with the support of the Popular Resistance, have established control over Dhubab in the western part of Taiz province.
A military source quoted by “Saba“ said that government forces have launched a large-scale operation with air support against Houthi positions and forces in several areas of the province.
In the course of the offensive, the forces have captured key positions and cut supply lines and routes leading to Bab el-Mandeb, the source reported.
An unknown number of Houthi fighters were killed or wounded in the clashes. Several military vehicles and equipment were also destroyed or damaged.
Meanwhile, the “Southern Giants“ announced the start of a “decisive” military operation against the Houthis in the Bab el-Mandeb region.
The strait is of strategic importance for international shipping. Bab el-Mandeb connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea and is a key waterway for international maritime transport.