Yemen Government Forces Claim Control of Bab al-Mandeb Strait, Recapture Dhubab Airport

Yemen Government Forces Claim Control of Bab al-Mandeb Strait, Recapture Dhubab Airport

ADEN, October 5, 2026 [VoM News]: Forces aligned with Yemen’s internationally recognized government said on Monday that they have regained control of the strategically important Bab al-Mandeb Strait and recaptured an airport near the coastal town of Dhubab after an offensive against Houthi forces.

Brigadier General Majid al-Nuzaili stated that government troops took over an airport and increased their security presence around it. Some Houthi fighters were said to have fled by boat from their location after being trapped.

The Yemeni army has independently reported that it captured Dhubab District in Taiz province, calling it an “important victory” in its own statement.

As per an announcement carried by Yemen’s Saba news outlet, the Homeland Shield Forces and Giants Brigades conducted a major ground campaign supported by air power, targeting Houthi bases and activities.

According to a military official cited by the news outlet, government forces took control of strategic locations while cutting off supply routes leading into Bab al-Mandeb.

Yemeni Armed Forces Carry Out 1,122 Military Operations Against Houthi Targets, Kill 1,747 Houthi Militant

The report also said that Houthi fighters were killed or wounded, while weapons and equipment were seized or destroyed. Casualty and territorial claims were difficult to independently verify at first.

These developments form an extension of previous efforts by Yemen’s internationally recognized government to regain control over areas held by the Houthis.

Baraa Shiban, an analyst at the Defence Research Board (DRS), told Al Jazeera that this might develop into a longer war rather than simply an armed attack on soldiers, with civilians potentially suffering greatly from renewed violence.