Yemeni Government Forces Launch Offensive Against Houthis Near Bab el-Mandeb

Yemeni government forces and a Saudi-led coalition launched Operation Dawn of Yemen, advancing on the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait as intense fighting killed over 270 combatants. Meanwhile, the Houthis denied losing territory and claimed drone and missile attacks on Saudi infrastructure, while regional defense partners activated a mutual pact.

Operation Dawn of Yemen and the Red Sea Counteroffensive

On Monday, a Saudi-backed coalition and Yemen’s military initiated an assault directed at Iran-supported Houthi combatants. On October 3, 2026, a fleeing family was photographed traveling behind Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces near the Jabal Han front, located west of Taiz. A coalition spokesman stated on X that naval forces destroyed weapons depots, facilities storing booby-trapped boats and naval mines, and thwarted a planned attack targeting waterways in the southern Red Sea. Since the outbreak of Yemen’s civil war in 2014, the Iran-backed Houthis have maintained control over Sanaa and a significant portion of the country’s densely populated western regions.

Yemeni Information Minister Moammar al-Eryani confirmed that government forces secured effective control of the strait, though fighting continued near a local military base.

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Houthi Encirclement of Taiz and Escalating Casualties

While government forces pushed toward the Red Sea coast, Houthi fighters pressed their advantage around the southwestern city of Taiz. Security sources told AFP that rebel forces cut off the main road in the al-Safiya area, seized a local police station, and effectively encircled Taiz by halting traffic on the vital supply route linking the city to Aden.

The intense ground clashes and airstrikes exacted a heavy toll. Sources on both sides reported that more than 270 government troops and Houthi fighters were killed over a 24-hour period. Government sources told AFP that 115 troops died, while Houthi military sources reported 160 dead fighters, primarily from Saudi airstrikes.

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Regional Strikes and the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement Activation

Amid the ground fighting, the conflict expanded into cross-border attacks. A Houthi military spokesman said ballistic missiles and drones targeted King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, an oil refinery in Rabigh, and military sites and smaller airports in the south. Saudi Civil Defense reported that shrapnel from an intercepted ballistic missile injured one person in Ahad Rafidah governorate, and the Saudi civil aviation authority noted three people were wounded in attacks on Jazan and Najran airports.

In response to the escalation, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan activated their Mecca Joint Defense Agreement following an emergency meeting in Riyadh, pledging to deploy agreed military forces and capabilities. Turkey has supplied military equipment and drones operating over Yemen, and France announced defensive systems and troops to protect the Red Sea port city of Yanbu.

Yemeni Government Forces Launch Offensive Against Houthis Near Bab el-Mandeb — Photo: France 24

Strategic Stakes for Global Shipping and Regional Power Dynamics

The fight over the Bab el-Mandeb Strait carries global economic consequences, as 12% of international trade transits the waterway. Michael Ratney, a former U.S. ambassador to Saudi Arabia, observed that Riyadh aims to get back to status quo ante before Houthis controlled territory along Bab el-Mandeb without becoming entangled in a prolonged multi-front war. Thomas Juneau, a specialist on Yemen and non-resident fellow affiliated with the Sana’a Center for Strategic Studies, conveyed to Iran International that it remains uncertain whether this counteroffensive can be maintained or what a lasting setback would signify for Iran’s standing in Yemen, noting that discussing durable achievements against the Houthis is premature at this stage.

What I’m watching right now is the population centers.

Abo Alasrar, via Iran International

Analysts emphasize that while counteroffensives can reverse territorial losses along the coast, the broader challenge remains neutralizing Houthi power entrenched in Yemen’s interior. This changes the rules of the game because Saudi Arabia is basically signaling that it’s going to play their game, Abo Alasrar noted regarding Riyadh’s willingness to engage in a sustained confrontation, according to Iran International.