Yemen forces claim to seize Dhubab, sites near Bab al-Mandeb from Houthis

What the report says

Yemen’s internationally recognised government said its forces seized the Dhubab district and other positions near the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, a strategic waterway linking the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. The claim, reported by Al Jazeera on October 5, 2026, came a day after the government announced a broader military operation against the Houthis, also known as Ansar Allah.

According to the Saudi-backed military and a source quoted by Yemen’s state news agency Saba, units including the Homeland Shield Forces and the Giants Brigades advanced under air cover, targeting Houthi positions and cutting supply routes toward Bab al-Mandeb. The report said clashes caused casualties among Houthi fighters and damaged equipment, but Al Jazeera noted it could not independently verify the battlefield claims.

The announcement comes against the backdrop of Yemen’s long-running civil war, which began after the Houthis took Sanaa in 2014 and pushed the government to Aden. Al Jazeera said front lines had been relatively stable before renewed fighting escalated in recent weeks, including Houthi gains in western Yemen and the port city of Mocha.

The battlefield developments coincided with diplomatic talks in Saudi Arabia involving officials from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye under the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement. The article said Yemen’s war is expected to figure prominently in the discussions, with regional concern focused on both security along the Red Sea corridor and the worsening humanitarian impact on civilians.