Aden: The Saudi led military coalition said on Monday it had joined the Yemeni government’s new offensive against the Houthis, providing air support for troops attempting to recapture territory.
Coalition spokesman Major General Turki al Maliki said 100 fighter jets participated in dawn operations under the campaign named “Dawn of Yemen”. He said air support for Yemeni forces would continue around the clock.
The announcement follows President Rashad al Alimi’s declaration on Sunday that Yemen’s internationally recognised government was launching a military campaign to recover areas held by the Iran backed movement.
On the ground, military and government sources told Reuters that government forces had captured large parts of Dhubab district near Bab el Mandeb. Houthi aligned media denied the reported advances.
Bab el Mandeb is the narrow maritime passage connecting the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden. Control of its coastline matters because ships travelling between Asia and the Mediterranean pass through these waters.
The Houthis’ recent territorial gains have placed the route at the centre of the renewed fighting. The government’s offensive aims to reverse those gains and restore its authority.
Fighting also threatens Taiz. The Houthis said they had captured Turbah, a town on the road linking Taiz with Aden, raising concerns about access to the city and supplies reaching residents.
The conflict dates back to the Houthi takeover of Sanaa in 2014. Saudi Arabia intervened the following year in support of the government. A truce agreed in 2022 reduced fighting, but renewed hostilities have undermined that relative calm.
Civilians face mounting pressure. According to United Nations figures reported by the Associated Press, the latest escalation has displaced more than 145000 people inside Yemen.
