The army of Yemen's internationally recognised government said on Monday it had reclaimed the Dhubab district and key positions near the Bab al-Mandeb strait, cutting off Houthi supply lines to the strategic waterway. Forces from the Homeland Shield Forces and the Giants Brigades carried out the operation with air cover, according to a statement carried by the state news agency Saba.
"During the operation, they advanced and seized important positions – cutting off supply lines and roads leading to Bab al-Mandeb," an unnamed army source told Saba. The source added that many Houthi fighters were killed or wounded and military equipment was destroyed.
The Saudi-led coalition confirmed it was providing air support. Coalition spokesman Major General Turki al-Maliki said 100 fighter jets were backing the Yemeni forces and that the coalition had secured "air protection" of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, destroying hundreds of Houthi targets.
Later, government forces announced the launch of a "strategic offensive" on Sanaa, the capital that has been under Houthi control since 2014. Yemen has been at war since the Houthis seized Sanaa, forcing the government to retreat to Aden. A fragile truce struck in 2022 collapsed in July. In mid-September, the Houthis swept across parts of western Yemen, capturing the port city of Mocha and key islands in the Bab al-Mandeb. Anti-Houthi forces have since stabilised front lines. On Sunday, Presidential Leadership Council chairman Rashad al-Alimi announced operations to retake remaining Houthi-held territory.
Al Jazeera could not independently verify the battlefield reports.