Yemeni Government Forces Retake Bab al-Mandab Area as ‘Dawn of Yemen’ Offensive Begins

October 5, 2026 | WAR MONITOR

Forces aligned with Yemen’s internationally recognised government have launched a major counteroffensive against the Houthis, with government forces reporting gains around the strategically important Bab al-Mandab and Dhubab areas. Arab News reported that the Giants Brigades and Nation Shield Forces took control of Dhubab following fighting on Monday.

Presidential Leadership Council Chairman Rashad al-Alimi announced the campaign under the name “Dawn of Yemen,” saying its objective is to restore state institutions and ultimately retake the capital, Sanaa, from Houthi control. The offensive follows significant Houthi territorial gains along Yemen’s Red Sea coast during September.

Government military sources also claimed advances around Bab al-Mandab and Dhubab, while reports circulating from the battlefield said Houthi fighters had been captured during the fighting. Some government claims concerning the number of captured or killed Houthi fighters remain independently unverified.

The renewed fighting is particularly significant because Bab al-Mandab connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and is a major international shipping route. The Houthis’ September advance had substantially changed the military balance along this section of Yemen’s western coastline.

Independent verification is pending for some battlefield claims and casualty figures.

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