Saudi Arabia Scores Strategic Win as Yemeni Forces Retake Bab al-Mandeb
In a statement, the Saudi-led coalition said its aircraft were providing round-the-clock aerial support to Yemeni armed forces operating on the ground.
The Saudi-led coalition deployed 100 fighter jets at dawn on Monday in support of Yemeni government forces under “Operation Dawn of Yemen,” as the campaign to regain and secure the strategically vital Bab al-Mandeb Strait gathered momentum following weeks of heightened regional tensions and intensive diplomacy.
In a statement, the Saudi-led coalition said its aircraft were providing round-the-clock aerial support to Yemeni armed forces operating on the ground.
“We secure air protection for the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, and handling moving targets is ongoing,” the coalition said.
According to the statement, coalition forces have destroyed 324 high-value targets since the launch of Operation Dawn of Yemen.
The massive deployment comes as Yemeni government forces push against Iran-backed Houthi forces around Bab al-Mandeb, one of the world’s most strategically important maritime chokepoints linking the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea.
The Houthis seized control of the Bab al-Mandeb area in September after capturing strategic positions along Yemen’s Red Sea coast, including Mocha, Perim (Mayyun) Island and surrounding areas.
Yemeni government forces have now announced that they regained control of the Bab al-Mandeb Strait area and Dhubab district under Operation Dawn of Yemen, with the Giants Brigades and Nation’s Shield Forces participating in the ground offensive.
Strategic Win After Intensive Saudi Diplomacy
The developments around Bab al-Mandeb mark a major strategic gain for Saudi Arabia and its regional partners following intensive diplomatic and military coordination over the past two weeks.
The escalation followed multiple Houthi attacks against Saudi Arabia, including attacks targeting the Kingdom and its holy cities, significantly raising regional security concerns and prompting greater coordination among Riyadh and its allies.
On September 25, the military chiefs of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye — the three members of the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement — held an emergency meeting in Riyadh amid the escalating Houthi threat.
The meeting focused on intelligence sharing, military coordination, capability integration and implementation of the trilateral defence framework.
The latest military developments are unfolding as another high-level strategic political and defence commitee meeting under the Makkah defence framework is underway in the Saudi capital on October 5.
Foreign ministers, defence ministers and military chiefs from Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Türkiye are attending the Strategic Political and Defence Committee meeting in Riyadh, bringing the political and military leadership of the three countries together at a critical moment for regional security.
The timing of the Riyadh meeting, alongside the large-scale air operation over Yemen and the government forces’ advance around Bab al-Mandeb, underscores the rapidly evolving security architecture in the region.
Why Bab al-Mandeb Matters
Bab al-Mandeb — literally the “Gate of Tears” — is one of the world’s most critical maritime passages. It connects the Red Sea and Suez Canal route with the Gulf of Aden and the wider Indian Ocean.
Control and security of the strait are therefore critical not only for Saudi Arabia and Yemen but also for international shipping, energy supplies and trade between Asia and Europe.
The latest advances by Yemeni government forces, backed by extensive Saudi-led coalition airpower, could significantly alter the balance of power along Yemen’s western coastline and reduce the Houthis’ ability to threaten one of the world’s busiest maritime corridors.
