Yemeni Armed Forces Claim Control Over Territories Near Bab-el-Mandeb Strait - UPDATED

Yemeni government forces have established control over territories in the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait area and the airport in the Dhubab district in western Taiz Governorate.

This was announced by the official spokesman for the country's armed forces, Colonel Majid al-Nuzaili.

"The armed forces launched a large-scale operation today titled 'Dawn of Yemen' <...>, and units of 'Al-Amalika' ('Giant Brigades') and 'Dara al-Watan' ('Nation's Shield') managed to take control of Bab-el-Mandeb," the Yemeni state news agency SABA quoted him as saying.

According to the colonel, government troops executed a flanking maneuver against the positions of the Houthi rebel movement "Ansar Allah." As a result, the army cut off the road connecting Dhubab with the port city of Mokha and placed it under fire control. The Yemeni armed forces spokesman added that hundreds of "Ansar Allah" fighters are trapped in Dhubab and have been asked to surrender. He also noted that some rebel units managed to escape by sea on boats.

Source: TASS

13:28

Chairman of the Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council Rashad Mohammed al-Alimi has announced the start of the military operation "Yemen's Dawn" to liberate the republic's capital, Sanaa, from the Houthi rebel movement Ansar Allah.

"With God's blessing, the operation 'Yemen's Dawn' has begun to restore state institutions, liberate the capital Sanaa and put an end to the coup of the Houthi terrorists," the Yemeni news agency SABA quoted him as saying.

Earlier on Monday, Yemeni government forces regained control of the Dhubab area, located near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. As the Saudi television channel Al Arabiya reported, the Yemeni units "Al-Amalika" ("Giants Brigades") and "Dar al-Watan" ("Shield of the Homeland") drove Houthi detachments out of the area. It is noted that the troops bypassed the enemy's positions from the direction of the Kahbub mountains with air support. According to the channel's military sources, fierce fighting took place in the area before the capture of Dhubab, and as a result of the offensive the Yemeni army was able to almost completely cut the rebels' supply lines.

Source: TASS