Saudi envoy says Bab el-Mandeb 'cleared' of Houthi remnants

Saudi Ambassador to Yemen Mohammed Al Jaber said on Friday that the Bab el-Mandeb Strait has been cleared of Houthi remnants, announcing the development on his X account without providing specific details on the military operation. The ambassador's declaration comes amid the most extensive fighting in Yemen since a UN-brokered truce collapsed, with government forces pressing an offensive to reverse rebel gains in the strategic waterway.

"Blessed Friday, and victory for every Yemeni and Arab. Bab al-Mandeb has been cleared of the remnants of the Houthi terrorist militia," Al Jaber said in the post. He did not elaborate on the timing or nature of the operation that allegedly secured the passage, and the Houthis have not immediately commented on the claim.

Yemen sees worst fighting since 2022 truce

Yemen has remained mired in conflict since the Houthis seized Sanaa and several provinces in 2014, prompting a Saudi-led coalition to intervene in March 2015 in support of the internationally recognized government. The military escalation that began in July has produced the fiercest clashes since the relative calm that followed the 2022 UN-brokered truce, which had temporarily halted large-scale combat.

Clashes intensified sharply in September when Houthi fighters seized several key areas in Hudaydah and Taiz provinces, advancing as far as Mayyun Island in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. Government forces launched Operation Dawn of Yemen this week to retake Houthi-held territory, aiming to reverse the rebels' recent gains along the vital shipping lane.