Yemeni government forces said they have seized the coastal town of Dhubab and several nearby positions that overlook the Bab al‑Mandeb strait, wresting the sites from Houthi rebels.
The Bab al‑Mandeb waterway is a crucial maritime chokepoint that links the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden, through which a large share of global oil and container traffic passes.
The claim of the territorial gains was announced as officials from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey are set to meet later this week to discuss developments in the region.
Since the outbreak of the civil war in 2014, the Yemeni government and the Iran‑aligned Houthi movement have contested control of key coastal areas, with the strait’s strategic importance heightening the stakes for both sides.
The upcoming trilateral talks underscore the broader regional concern over security and navigation in the Bab al‑Mandeb corridor, a route that remains vital for international shipping and energy supplies.
<small>Source: Al Jazeera — read the original story there.</small>
