Yemeni Forces Strike Houthi Positions in Dhubab, Near Bab al-Mandeb — Fighting Spreads Along the Red Sea Coast

Yemeni government coalition forces have launched fresh strikes against Houthi military formations in the town of Dhubab, just north of the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, the coalition’s media department announced. Undated videos published on official social media pages show the moment missiles strike buildings and vehicles in the area.

According to Al Jazeera journalist Faisal Edroos, citing the coalition’s media department, the targets were Houthi military positions along Yemen’s western coast, near one of the world’s most important maritime transport arteries.

Separately, Yemeni-Saudi forces also targeted Houthi fighters on the al-Kudhah front, west of Taiz, Yemen’s third-largest city. The front has seen fierce fighting in recent weeks, with airstrikes also hitting missile launch platforms.

The escalation comes as Iranian-backed Houthis have tightened control over almost the entire western coast of Yemen along the Red Sea, including the strategic port of Mokha and Perim Island at the mouth of the Bab al-Mandeb Strait. Control of the strait gives Tehran a new pressure point against Saudi Arabia and global energy trade, while traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains blocked by the US–Iran conflict.

Source: Al Jazeera (US–Iran war liveblog, September 16, 2026)