Yemen’s internationally recognized and Saudi Arabian-backed government forces have recaptured the Dhubab district and several strategic positions near the Bab al-Mandab Strait following clashes with Houthi fighters.
The development came as diplomatic and military leaders of Pakistan, Türkiye and Saudi Arabia converged for an emergency meeting to discuss defense cooperation following weeks of Houthi strikes against Saudi oil and civilian infrastructure.
Saudi-backed Yemeni government and Iran-aligned Houthis have been fighting for control of the country for several years.
However, the latest volley of the Houthi attacks on Saudi soil, including the holy cities of Makkah and Medina as well as Aramco, South West Pipeline and around Riyadh airport has pushed the region deeper into regional turmoil.
Regional experts have point to growing concerns over possible downturn in Saudi Arabian oil exports, though overall the Saudi exports have registered a rise since the outbreak of the U.S.-Iran conflict — the bigger picture background to the latest hostilities.
The army of Yemen’s internationally recognized government has said it began a “strategic offensive” on the Houthi-held capital, Sanaa, to recapture it from the Iran-aligned rebels. https://t.co/FxilJ17ccO
— Saudi Gazette (@Saudi_Gazette) October 5, 2026
On Monday, forces from the Nation’s Shield and Southern Giants brigades, backed by the Popular Resistance, seized control of Dhubab in western Taiz province and targeted several Houthi sites, Yemen’s Saba news agency reported.
The source said government forces launched a large-scale operation, supported by airstrikes, against Houthi positions in several parts of the district. The forces advanced on key positions and cut supply lines and routes leading toward the Bab al Mandab Strait.
According to Saudi-led coalition spokesperson Maj. Gen. Turki al-Malki 100 war planes backed the Yemeni government forces and helped secure “air protection” of the strategic Bab al-Mandeb Strait.
An unspecified number of Houthi fighters were killed or wounded in the fighting, while several military vehicles and pieces of equipment were destroyed or damaged, according to the source.
Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar @MIshaqDar50 arrived in Riyadh today to attend the meeting of the Strategic Political and Defence Committee (SPDC).
Upon arrival, the DPM/FM was received by Major General Othman Al-Zahrani of the Saudi Armed Forces, Pakistan’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Ahmad Farooq, and Mr. Haitham, Protocol Officer at the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Riyadh.
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) October 5, 2026
The Southern Giants Brigades separately announced the launch of what it described as a “decisive” military operation against the Houthis in the Bab al Mandab area.
The offensive followed an order from Presidential Leadership Council Chairman Rashad al-Alimi to begin what the government has called a “battle for liberation” aimed at restoring state institutions and reclaiming territory under Houthi control.
Bab al-Mandab is one of the world’s most strategically important maritime chokepoints, linking the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea. The waterway is a major route for international shipping and energy supplies between Europe, Asia and the Middle East.
Fighting between Yemen’s government forces and the Houthis has intensified since early July after several years of relative calm.
Yemen has been mired in conflict since the Houthis seized the capital, Sanaa, and large parts of the country in 2014. A Saudi-led Arab coalition intervened the following year in support of the internationally recognized government.
The conflict has entered a new and more dangerous phase amid renewed Houthi attacks on shipping and escalating regional tensions. The Houthis have also declared a maritime blockade targeting Saudi Arabia and have stepped up attacks on vessels in the Red Sea.
The strategic importance of Bab al -Mandab has increased further amid the wider US-Iran conflict and disruption to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, another critical global maritime chokepoint.
Muhammad Luqman is Associate Editor at Views News Now. He writes on wide-ranging issues including economy, South Asia, the Middle East, agriculture, economy and innovation. Luqman has worked some of the leading news organizations and won acclaim for his original and research-based works.
