YEMEN: SAUDI-BACKED FORCES CLAIM CONTROL OF STRATEGIC BAB EL-MANDEB STRAIT

Major offensive launched along the Red Sea coast against the Houthis. The Iran-backed rebels deny the advance, while around 184,000 people have reportedly been displaced since fighting resumed.

Yemen’s Saudi-backed government forces say they have regained control of the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait as part of a major offensive against the Iran-backed Houthi rebels along the country’s Red Sea coast.

According to the Yemeni government, its forces have rapidly advanced along the coastline, taking key positions in the Dhubab area, close to the narrowest point of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

The military operation marks one of the most significant developments in the latest phase of Yemen’s long-running conflict, which has intensified again in recent weeks against the broader backdrop of tensions involving the United States and Iran.

Military spokesman Major General Turki al-Malki said more than 100 fighter jets had been deployed during the operation and that “air protection” over the strategic waterway had been secured.

A VITAL ROUTE FOR GLOBAL TRADE

The Bab el-Mandeb Strait connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and represents one of the world’s most important maritime corridors between Europe and Asia.

A significant share of international maritime trade passes through the waterway, giving control of the strait an importance that extends far beyond Yemen.

Any disruption in the area can have direct consequences for global shipping, energy supplies, insurance costs and international supply chains.

The Houthis’ previous advance into the area had increased concerns over commercial shipping and contributed to growing pressure on global markets.

If confirmed, the government forces’ recapture of the strategic zone would represent an important shift in the military balance along Yemen’s western coastline.

HOUTHIS DENY GOVERNMENT ADVANCE

The government’s version of events has been strongly disputed by the Houthis.

The rebels have described claims of major territorial gains by government forces around the Bab el-Mandeb as “completely untrue”.

The Houthis have also threatened to target aircraft operating in Saudi airspace, raising concerns that the conflict could expand further across the region.

At the same time, the rebels claim to have made gains of their own in south-western Yemen, capturing the town of Turbah and advancing towards Taiz, the country’s third-largest city.

YEMENI GOVERNMENT LAUNCHES MAJOR OFFENSIVE

The Yemeni government announced the start of its large-scale offensive on Sunday, saying the aim was to recapture territory controlled by the Houthis.

President Rashad al-Alimi vowed that military operations would continue until the country was freed from the control of the rebel militia.

Government authorities say hundreds of targets have been struck and operations have opened on several fronts, including areas around the capital, Sanaa.

Fighting has spread across several parts of the country, with air strikes also reported in the Sanhan and Sa’wan districts of Sanaa province.

Houthi-controlled health authorities have reported deaths and injuries following some of the strikes.

AROUND 184,000 PEOPLE DISPLACED

The renewed escalation is worsening an already severe humanitarian crisis.

Around 184,000 people are reported to have been forced from their homes since the latest phase of fighting began.

After years of conflict, Yemen remains one of the region’s most vulnerable countries, with millions of people dependent on humanitarian assistance and large parts of its infrastructure severely damaged.

The renewed fighting now risks once again placing Yemen at the centre of a much wider regional confrontation.

BAB EL-MANDEB AT THE HEART OF THE CRISIS

The battle for the Bab el-Mandeb Strait is about far more than territorial control inside Yemen.

The waterway is one of the main links between the Mediterranean, the Suez Canal, the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean.

Any threat to shipping in the area can have immediate consequences for maritime transport, insurance costs, international supply chains and energy prices.

For this reason, developments along Yemen’s Red Sea coast are being closely watched far beyond the region.

The situation on the ground, however, remains highly fluid.

Government forces are claiming a major strategic victory, while the Houthis deny they have lost control of the area.

Bab el-Mandeb has therefore once again become one of the most sensitive flashpoints in the Middle East, where Yemen’s civil war, the rivalry between Saudi Arabia and Iran and the security of international trade routes are increasingly intertwined.

The post YEMEN: SAUDI-BACKED FORCES CLAIM CONTROL OF STRATEGIC BAB EL-MANDEB STRAIT first appeared on Allora! Italian Australian News.