Yemeni Government Forces Say They Seized Kahbub Front Near Bab al-Mandeb

Forces aligned with Yemen's internationally recognized government said they have seized the Kahbub front near the Bab al-Mandeb strait, according to Anadolu Agency.

The operation was reportedly carried out jointly by Yemen's Nation's Shield Forces alongside the Giants Brigades and Joint Forces, as part of a broader offensive referred to by the government side as 'Dawn of Yemen'. The statement did not provide further detail on casualties or the current military situation on the ground following the reported advance.

The Bab al-Mandeb strait is a strategically significant waterway connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden, and the surrounding area has seen repeated fighting between Yemen's government-aligned forces and the Houthi movement, which controls large parts of northern Yemen including the capital, Sanaa.

Yemen's conflict, which escalated into a wider civil war in 2014 after Houthi forces took control of Sanaa, has continued in various forms despite periods of relative calm and international mediation efforts. Fighting around strategic coastal and maritime chokepoints, including areas near Bab al-Mandeb, has carried added significance given the strait's importance to international shipping.

The Houthi movement has not issued an immediate public response to the claim of the Kahbub front being seized. Claims of territorial gains from either side of Yemen's conflict are frequently difficult to verify independently given limited access for international media to front-line areas.