Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces have secured effective control of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a vital global oil route, Information Minister Moammar al-Eryani said on Monday, although fighting with Houthi forces continues. Government troops, backed by heavy Saudi air strikes, rapidly advanced along the coast and seized key positions in Dhubab, at the strait’s narrowest point.
Eryani said forces had also captured the nearby Dhubab airstrip and cut off remaining Houthi fighters, but another government source said clashes were still under way at a military base. The Houthis denied the reported gains as “completely untrue” and threatened to attack aircraft flying in Saudi airspace.
Even if government forces secure the coast, the Houthis could still disrupt shipping through the strait using drones and missiles from inland and positions further north. The fighting has intensified since the dormant Yemeni civil war reignited amid the wider US-Iran conflict.
With Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz already restricting Gulf energy exports, renewed fighting around Bab el-Mandeb has raised fresh concerns over global oil supplies and pushed up prices. Saudi Arabia said it had struck hundreds of targets in Yemen to support government forces and protect the strait.
The Yemeni government also launched offensives on several fronts, including around Sanaa. Houthi authorities said Saudi strikes on Sanaa province killed two people and wounded seven. Meanwhile, the Houthis have made gains around Taiz, where government forces have been fighting to prevent the city from being surrounded.
Five government military sources said Houthi fighters had advanced along a key mountain road and entered parts of al-Turbah, although another government source disputed the claims.