Yemeni forces seize Bab el-Mandeb positions as war escalates

Photo — AMORIE SAM / Pexels

The reported developments mark a significant escalation in Yemen’s long-running conflict, which had been largely frozen before intensified fighting in recent weeks. The Bab el-Mandeb is a strategically vital maritime chokepoint connecting the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden, so further clashes could affect commercial shipping and widen existing regional tensions. Reuters attributed the battlefield claims to military and government sources, while Al Jazeera reported that Yemen’s internationally recognised government said it intends to retake all territory controlled by the Houthis. Separate reporting indicated that Saudi-led strikes have hit Houthi-held areas, but the scale and longer-term consequences of the latest offensive remain developing.

Sources: Reuters, Al Jazeera, Anadolu Agency, Xinhua