Yemeni government forces announced that they have achieved strategic advances near the Bab al‑Mandeb strait as part of a broad anti‑Houthi offensive, the group said in a statement released this week.
The Bab al‑Mandeb, a narrow waterway linking the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden, is a vital chokepoint for international shipping and has long been a focal point in Yemen’s conflict. Control of the area can affect the flow of commercial vessels and oil tankers that transit between Europe and Asia.
According to the government’s claim, the gains near the strait are intended to pave the way for a push toward the capital, Sanaa, which remains under the control of the Houthi movement. Analysts note that while the offensive marks a notable escalation, a decisive defeat of the Houthis is likely to be difficult.
The fighting is set against the backdrop of Yemen’s civil war, which erupted in 2014 when Houthi rebels seized Sanaa and forced President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi’s government into exile. The internationally recognised government has been backed by a Saudi‑led coalition that has conducted air and ground operations against the Houthis.
Any shift in control of the Bab al‑Mandeb could have broader ramifications for regional trade routes, but the outcome of the current offensive remains uncertain as both sides continue to vie for strategic positions across the country.
<small>Source: Al Jazeera — read the original story there.</small>
