Yemen Offensive Escalates Around Bab el-Mandeb

Yemeni officials say forces loyal to the internationally recognized government, supported by a Saudi-led military coalition, have retaken several strategic locations near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait as fighting intensifies along Yemen’s western coast. The offensive, launched early Monday with air support, reportedly recaptured Dhubab, just north of the strait, as well as the towns of Bab and Hadeid. Witnesses said government forces and tanks entered the towns; officials spoke anonymously because they were not authorized to speak to reporters. The government advance follows Houthi gains around Taiz. The rebels seized villages on the city’s outskirts and the town of Turbah, raising the prospect of encircling Taiz, Yemen’s third-largest city. Turbah lies on a main road connecting Taiz with Aden, the port city that serves as the government’s interim seat. It had previously been an important post for government forces defending Taiz. The escalation also includes Houthi claims of attacks on Saudi oil facilities, airports and military bases. Video shown by Sky News depicted military vehicles and fighters around Taiz, while families—including women and small children—packed supplies and evacuated. The article characterizes the renewed clashes between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis as a revival of Yemen’s civil war after a four-year ceasefire. The Bab el-Mandeb is highlighted as a vital shipping route connecting the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, underscoring the strategic significance of the fighting.

The liveblog reports developments in the Iran war and related regional tensions, with a particular focus on Yemen. Its overnight roundup says the Saudi-led coalition announced it had destroyed a ballistic-missile launch platform in Sanaa and a storage site in Saada containing 20 missiles. It also notes the World Food Programme welcomed the release of a staff member detained by Yemen’s Houthis, while the liveblog describes Yemen’s government forces, backed by Riyadh, as launching a counteroffensive to regain territory. A video item says Türkiye and Pakistan agreed to deploy forces to defend Saudi Arabia from Houthi attacks during emergency talks in Riyadh. Several updates concern diplomacy and Israel’s actions in the region. Syrian Ambassador to the UN Ibrahim Olabi condemned Israeli attacks on Syrian territory, saying they hinder efforts to restore security and create conditions in which terrorism can flourish. He called for the attacks to stop, a full Israeli withdrawal from occupied Syrian territories, and compliance with the 1974 Disengagement Agreement and relevant UN resolutions. UN Secretary-General António Guterres arrived in Islamabad for meetings with Pakistani officials, with Iran-US mediation efforts among the expected topics. In advance of the October 7 anniversary, Guterres also called for a permanent ceasefire and peace. The liveblog reports a diplomatic dispute between the UK and Israel: Britain reportedly threatened to expel 27 Israeli diplomats if Israel closes the British consulate in occupied East Jerusalem. Israel had ordered the consulate’s closure by October 8 in response to UK sanctions on illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank. Other updates include a joint statement by the US and nine countries in the Americas condemning alleged Iranian and proxy activity in the region. US President Donald Trump defended the cost of the Iran war at a Nebraska rally, saying it was a small price for security. The report notes that his reference to Los Angeles and San Diego was an argument about the potential cost of leaving Iran unchecked, not a suggestion that Iran should attack those cities. A final, incomplete item says fuel-market recovery may remain out of reach until 2027 despite a rebound in crude shipments through the Strait of Hormuz.

Yemeni pro-government forces, backed by Saudi air power, have launched a major offensive against the Iran-backed Houthi movement, with the stated aim of reclaiming territory across Yemen. Yemen’s military said its forces captured the coastal city of Mokha and secured the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a strategically important passage at the southern end of the Red Sea. However, accounts were disputed: unnamed Yemeni government and military sources told Reuters and AFP that troops had reached Mokha’s outskirts, while the Houthis denied losing the city, nearby Dhubab, or control of the strait. Government sources reported capturing Dhubab’s military airfield and cutting a road to the Bab al-Mandab area. The offensive, called Operation Yemen Dawn, involves the National Shield, Giants Brigades and Tihama Resistance forces. Saudi Arabia says its aircraft are providing continuous support and have struck 324 high-value targets. The Houthis have retaliated with missile and drone attacks on Saudi sites, including Riyadh’s airport and Aramco facilities. Satellite imagery reviewed by BBC Verify showed smoke at the Riyadh refinery and the Khurais processing facility. Saudi Arabia condemned the attacks, while Turkey and Pakistan agreed to deploy forces under a joint defence agreement. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres condemned Houthi cross-border attacks and expressed concern over escalating violence. Both sides reported civilian harm: Houthi-run media said Saudi air strikes killed a schoolgirl and a woman in Sanaa, while the Houthis warned airlines that most Saudi airspace was unsafe. The escalation follows the breakdown of an informal ceasefire and a Houthi offensive last month that seized coastal areas overlooking the strait. The fighting has also affected global oil prices, as Saudi Arabia has relied on Red Sea exports amid the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Yemen’s government reports at least 959 people killed and 5,000 injured since 6 August; the UN says 197,000 people have been displaced.

The live report describes continued fighting involving Iran-backed Houthi forces in Yemen and Saudi-backed forces, alongside disruptions and uncertainty affecting regional shipping and energy markets. The Houthis rejected claims that government-aligned forces had retaken important positions on Yemen’s Red Sea coast, insisting they retained control of their territorial gains. They also claimed to have killed or wounded more than 200 Saudi-backed fighters and threatened airlines operating in Saudi airspace. Saudi Arabia confirmed attacks on two airports, reporting three minor injuries and property damage, while its account differed from the Houthis’ claims about which sites were struck and the scale of casualties. Despite the fighting, Brent crude fell below $100 per barrel and global stock markets rose. Analysts said the retreat in oil prices helped ease concerns about inflation and borrowing costs, but warned that uncertainty in the Middle East could keep energy prices volatile and put pressure on central banks. Gulf exports were reported at varying estimates: one analyst put September exports excluding Iran at 81% of pre-war levels, while Shell’s CEO said regional oil flows had recovered to around 80% or more. Other tracking data suggested exports had recently exceeded pre-war levels, though vessel movements are difficult to verify because ships disable tracking systems. The report also details risks to commercial shipping. A Panama-flagged vessel, MT On Peace, was struck off Oman, injuring 12 crew members, including 11 Indian nationals. The incident comes amid attacks on ships and competing U.S. and Iranian efforts to impose restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz. Separately, U.K. diesel prices reached a record high, illustrating the war’s broader effects on energy costs. The report presents conflicting claims and official confirmations while emphasizing that lower oil prices may prove temporary as security conditions remain uncertain.

Yemen’s Saudi Arabia-backed government says its forces have retaken Mokha, a strategic Red Sea port city previously captured by the Iran-backed Houthis. The government described the advance as a rapid operation involving fierce battles and said its forces also took key coastal locations near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. It further claimed to have launched an offensive toward Sanaa, the capital held by the Houthis since 2014. CNBC said it could not independently verify the claims, and the Houthis reportedly denied that Mokha had fallen. Mokha lies about 75 kilometers north of Bab el-Mandeb. Its capture by the Houthis in early September had raised concern that the group could gain leverage over this important shipping and oil route. The article places the fighting within a wider regional crisis: Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz has already shaken energy markets and affected the global economy. Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan agreed after a meeting of their defense ministers in Riyadh to activate “deterrence measures” and rapidly deploy forces in support of Saudi Arabia against Houthi attacks. The countries said they shared a commitment to collective defense. Separately, Saudi authorities reported attacks on airports in Jazan and Najran on Monday evening. Three people were injured and damage was limited; the aviation authority said it was coordinating with relevant agencies to protect facilities and civil aviation. Oil prices edged lower as traders monitored the conflict. Brent crude traded near $100 a barrel and U.S. West Texas Intermediate near $89. ING strategists said signs of recovering Persian Gulf oil flows were offset by concern about further supply disruptions. They expect market nervousness to continue until there is progress toward an agreement between the United States and Iran, while warning that the risk of escalation remains real.

The supplied page is a live Middle East news update dated October 6, 2026, with a headline reporting that US Senator Marco Rubio said Saudi Arabia has the right to defend itself from Houthi attacks. The visible update list also reports that Yemeni government forces recaptured the strategic port city of Mokha from the Houthis, and that a Saudi-led coalition said 100 jets took part in an offensive on Sunday. Another headline says countries associated with the Makkah pact are due to meet in Riyadh, with Houthi attacks on the agenda. The page additionally notes that Iran’s oil minister resigned and that the US withdrew bombers from a base in England a week after five people were arrested. The supplied text does not include the articles or detailed reporting behind these headlines, so it does not provide further information about the events, the people arrested, the circumstances of the minister’s resignation, or the military operations. It also contains a collection of related video headlines, including coverage of a proposed Italian mission in Lebanon to replace UNIFIL, security in the Strait of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb, and the siege of Taiz. Other listed clips refer to Israeli occupation in southern Lebanon, a flydubai incident, and statements by Donald Trump about Iran. Repeated sharing and print controls, navigation menus, subscription prompts, and a cookie or notification message are website elements rather than article content. Overall, the available material is a headline-led news roundup; conclusions beyond the stated headlines cannot be drawn from the supplied text.