The Saudi coalition's air operation, consisting of 100 fighter jets, against the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels began on Tuesday along the Red Sea coast and also in Yemen's capital, Sana'a. This action is aimed at supporting the internationally recognized Yemeni government forces.
Securing Bab al-Mandab
Turki al-Maliki, the spokesman for the Saudi coalition, announced that this operation, dubbed "Operation Dawn of Yemen," is underway with the goal of securing the strategic Bab al-Mandab Strait and destroying hundreds of Houthi targets. Al-Maliki added that hundreds of Houthi fighters are besieged in the Dhubab area, particularly near the airport, and some have fled towards the coast.
Read more: Yemeni government forces advanced in the Bab al-Mandab Strait
Ground Attacks by Government Forces
The southern Yemeni forces, known as the "Giants Brigades," who are allied with the Yemeni government, launched a new ground assault against the Houthis on Tuesday in the eastern strip of coastal areas recently captured by them. These forces also claimed to have cut off the road between Mokha and Dhubab, with Houthi forces reportedly leaving the city of Mokha.
The head of the Saudi-backed government, Rashad al-Alimi, also promised a new attack on Sunday, stating that the government's patience with the Houthis has run out. He emphasized, "Today we enter a decisive phase in the history of our nation."
There have also been reports of airstrikes in Sana'a and Houthi bases in Saada in northern Yemen, targeting command and control centers, camps, and weapon depots.
The Houthis, who seized Sana'a in 2014, have made rapid advances along Yemen's western coast in recent weeks, reaching the Bab al-Mandab Strait and the strategic islands within it. In this context, Houthi sources have denied reports of retreat and pointed to explosions at a Saudi Aramco facility in Riyadh.
It appears that a political agreement between the two main Arab players in Yemen, namely Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, has allowed the southern Giants forces to coordinate with the Saudi air force. This cooperation between the Saudi air force and the Giants Brigades marks a turning point in recent developments, as in the past, the Saudi air force targeted shipments of weapons from the UAE to the Houthi forces.
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