Yemeni forces seize Dhubab, strategic sites near Bab el-Mandeb, army says - Anadolu Ajansı

The Yemeni army said Monday that government forces had seized the Dhubab district and strategic positions around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait following clashes with the Houthis.

Yemen’s official Saba news agency said forces from the Nation’s Shield and the pro-government Southern Giants Brigades, backed by the Popular Resistance, took control of Dhubab in western Taiz province.

A military source told Saba that the forces launched a large-scale operation with air support targeting Houthi positions and forces across several areas of the district.

The forces advanced and took control of key positions while cutting supply lines and routes leading to Bab el-Mandeb, the source said.

The source said an unspecified number of Houthi fighters were killed or injured in the clashes, while several military vehicles and equipment were destroyed or damaged.

The Southern Giants Brigades separately announced the launch of what they called a “decisive” military operation against the Houthis in the Bab el-Mandeb area.

The Houthi-controlled Saba news agency, however, cited a military source as denying any government advance toward Dhubab, calling the reports “baseless.”

Later, the Yemeni army said it recaptured positions from the Houthis on the Al-Aqroud front, south of Taiz city, killing and wounding fighters from the group.

Government forces destroyed a combat vehicle and seized a military vehicle during a midday attack, the army’s Taiz Military Command said in a Facebook statement.

The statement gave no casualty figures or further details on the recaptured positions, while the Houthis issued no immediate comment.

​​​​​​​Bab el-Mandeb is a strategically important waterway connecting the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea and is a key route for international shipping.