Saudi‑led coalition forces recaptured Dhubab, Bab and Hadeid around Bab el‑Mandeb on Monday, according to Yemeni officials. The offensive, launched under 100‑jet air cover, follows a series of Houthi advances that had taken the strategic town of Turbah and the port city of Mokha earlier this year.
The towns had been under Houthi control since the rebels seized Turbah on Sunday, a move that threatened the road linking Taiz to Aden and the maritime corridor that carries roughly 12% of global trade. A local family, displaced in 2024, returned to Dhubab with the ground forces, saying they felt “hope after years of fear.”
Saudi Arabia’s defense agreement with the United States enabled Washington to provide intelligence sharing and target identification for the operation. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters that while the coalition coordinated the push, the U.S. would not disclose further details.
Maj. Gen. Turki al‑Malki, spokesman for the coalition, said the 100 fighter jets were “providing comprehensive air support” and that the coalition had destroyed hundreds of Houthi targets. He added that the operation aims to recover remaining territories and restore state institutions.
With air protection secured, coalition commanders plan to keep advancing toward Taiz, the region’s strategic provincial capital, in a bid to further isolate the Houthi stronghold in Sanaa.