Yemen Opens a New Front at the Bab el-Mandeb

2026, October 5

Yemen / Saudi Arabia / Iran

Saudi-backed forces supporting Yemen’s internationally recognized government have made significant advances toward the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, seizing positions around Dhubab and its airstrip as part of a major offensive against the Iran-backed Houthis. Fighting is continuing around a nearby military base, while the Houthis deny that government forces have made the claimed gains.

The development is particularly important internationally because Bab el-Mandeb is a major gateway between the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. Any further deterioration could threaten commercial shipping and compound the energy disruption already caused by the crisis around the Strait of Hormuz. Reuters reports that the renewed offensive follows the collapse of a lengthy ceasefire and has already caused substantial casualties and displacement.