Yemeni Govt Launches Airstrikes on Houthi Positions Near Bab al-Mandab Strait

September 5, 2026

Aden: Yemeni government warplanes struck Houthi-held areas in the western provinces of Hodeidah and Taiz on Friday, as government forces battled a major Houthi offensive near the strategic Bab al-Mandab Strait, a military official said.

The airstrikes came amid fierce fighting across multiple fronts in the two provinces, where Houthi fighters had made rapid advances over the previous 24 hours, according to the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The warplanes targeted Houthi positions and movements in areas where ground fighting was underway. Details about the strikes and any casualties were not immediately available.

Houthi source confirms strikes

A Houthi military source confirmed that airstrikes took place but claimed they were carried out by what it described as “Saudi aggression warplanes.” Saudi Arabia has not yet commented on the claim.

The latest escalation began at dawn on Thursday and has since killed at least 90 people, including 40 government soldiers and at least 50 Houthi fighters, according to medical officials.

Yemen fighting intensifies near Bab al-Mandab

As fighting intensified on Friday, both sides reportedly sent additional troops, armoured vehicles and military equipment to the two fronts, military sources said.

Rashad al-Alimi, chairman of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council (PLC), vowed that government forces would prevent the Houthis from advancing towards the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a strategically important waterway connecting the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden.

The latest escalation represents some of the heaviest ground fighting in western Yemen in recent years and has raised concerns about a broader return to large-scale hostilities after years of relative calm along several frontlines.

Yemen conflict continues since 2014

Yemen has been embroiled in conflict since late 2014, when the Houthis seized the capital, Sanaa, and large parts of northern Yemen. A Saudi-led coalition intervened the following year in support of the internationally recognised Yemeni government.

The renewed fighting near Bab al-Mandab has added to concerns over the stability of the strategically important region and the possibility of further escalation in western Yemen.