Yemen’s Front Lines Shift as Rivals Claim Gains Near Taiz and Bab el-Mandeb

ARCHIVE IMAGE — Still from footage dated September 5, 2026, described by the uploader as showing Yemeni government fighters deployed in Jabal Habashi district, Taiz. It predates the October 5 developments reported here and does not document the current claims about control near Taiz or Bab el-Mandeb. Amin Dabwan / original video, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0. Still frame, used unaltered.

Yemen’s government says Saudi-backed forces have secured effective control of Bab el-Mandeb after an air campaign involving 100 coalition jets, while the Houthis claim gains around Taiz. Reuters and the Associated Press report the offensive and new U.S. intelligence support, but neither independently verified control of the contested territory.

Dhubab and Bab el-Mandeb control remained disputed

On Monday, October 5, Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces said they had taken positions in Dhubab district, near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. Yemen’s information minister told Reuters that government forces had secured effective control of the strait. Reuters reported that the government said it had captured the Dhubab airstrip and isolated remaining Houthi forces, while another government source said fighting continued at a nearby base. Houthi-run media denied that the government had made gains.

The Saudi-led coalition said 100 fighter jets supported the offensive and hundreds of Houthi targets had been destroyed, AP reported. AP also cited one U.S. and one regional official, speaking anonymously, who described U.S. intelligence sharing, target identification and planning support. Marco Rubio acknowledged the Saudi response without detailing coordination. The coalition’s aircraft and target counts were not independently verified.

Turbah, road access and displacement

The reporting also described fighting around Taiz. AP said the Houthis captured Turbah, a town on a key road linking Taiz with Aden, before the government announced its campaign on Sunday. Reuters reported conflicting government-source accounts about whether the mountain road around Taiz had been cut.

Reuters reported that the U.N. migration agency put displacement since the renewed fighting at about 184,000 people. AP cited a slightly earlier total of 174,097 internally displaced people and more than 3,000 people who had crossed into Djibouti. The difference appears to reflect reporting updates rather than a verified contradiction.

The exact front line and control of Dhubab, Turbah, and the roads around Taiz have not been independently mapped in the reports reviewed. The coalition did not provide public evidence for its count of aircraft or destroyed targets. The extent of U.S. operational involvement, the effect of the airstrikes, current casualty figures and whether the Taiz–Aden road is passable also remain unclear. The rival claims may change as fighting continues.

The Bab el-Mandeb Strait connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and lies beside Yemen’s western coast. The Taiz–Aden road is a key route for movement between the city of Taiz and the government’s southern base. The October 4 CurrentFront report noted that the campaign’s scope and results had not yet been independently established; the new reports show fighting has proceeded, while leaving control disputed.

If government forces consolidate control around Bab el-Mandeb, the Houthis would lose immediate coastal access to one of the world’s most important shipping passages, though Reuters noted they could still threaten vessels with drones from inland positions. Houthi gains around Taiz could simultaneously constrain government reinforcement and civilian movement. The reported U.S. support also broadens the international dimension of the campaign even without direct American combat participation.

CurrentFront first reported the government’s campaign announcement on October 4, 2026 in “Yemen’s Government Announces Campaign to Retake Houthi-Held Territory.” That article covered the announcement and the threat to the Taiz–Aden road. This separate article reports the next phase: an active air and ground offensive, a government claim of effective control at Bab el-Mandeb, the Houthi capture of Turbah, and newly reported U.S. intelligence and planning support. The reports do not establish an independently verified front line.

Sources

• Reuters — “Yemeni government forces advance to Bab el-Mandeb Strait” — October 5, 2026, 09:15 UTC (05:15 EDT), subsequently updated. Reports the government control claim, the Houthi denial, continued fighting and the updated displacement estimate.
• Associated Press — “A Saudi-led coalition says its fighter jets are bombing Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels” — published October 5, 2026, 02:20 EDT; updated 06:04 EDT. Reports the 100-aircraft coalition claim, Turbah’s capture and U.S. intelligence and planning support.
• CurrentFront — “Yemen’s Government Announces Campaign to Retake Houthi-Held Territory” — first published October 4, 2026. Earlier report on the campaign announcement and fighting near Taiz.

Verification note: Developing. The operation is independently reported by Reuters and AP, but neither source independently verifies territorial control. Claims remain attributed to the parties or sources cited by the news organizations.