Saudi Arabia, Yemen launch Operation Yemeni Dawn to retake Bab el-Mandeb from Houthis

Yemen and Saudi forces launched Operation Yemeni Dawn to retake the Bab el-Mandeb strait on October 5. This comes after government forces lost control of the strait to the Houthis in early September.

The strait has become increasingly important since the closure of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran due to many oil export routes being rerouted through the Bab el-Mandeb.

Saudi Arabia re-entered the war following repeated Houthi attacks on Saudi oil refineries and export depots.

On the morning of October 5, Yemeni military spokesperson Col. Majed al-Nuzaili announced Yemen was launching a full-scale assault on Houthi forces entrenched near Dhubab. At the same time, Maj. Gen. Turki al-Maliki announced that the Royal Saudi Air Force had begun assaulting Houthi forces with over 100 warplanes targeting over 300 "high-value targets," as part of Operation Yemeni Dawn.

Two hours later, Nuzaili announced the launch of another offensive against Sanaa, the country's capital held by the Houthis since 2014.

The Saudi-backed government assault on Dhubab is being aided by UAE-backed separatists in the Southern Transitional Council.

Government forces claim to have captured the key port city of Mocha, which they lost in early September to Houthi forces.

Earlier this year, the STC launched a massive offensive against Saudi-backed forces, seizing control of most of southern Yemen and demanded the independence of South Arabia from Yemen. Government forces then launched a counter-offensive that expelled the STC from the majority of southern Yemen, forcing the STC to officially disband.

While the political movement was dissolved, militias associated with the STC continued to operate in coordination with government forces.

Separatist forces were responsible for the gains government forces made in early September before the Houthi counterattack forced them into retreat.

STC forces are often better equipped than regular government forces and have access to modern weapons and tactics.

The US has refused to be drawn into the fighting directly, but The New York Times reported that more than 200 US intelligence officials were present in Saudi Arabia to support Saudi operations, while the US was also providing air support to Saudi planes through midair refuelling and conducting defensive patrols.

The UK and France have also promised to support Saudi defensive operations, although it is unclear if this will happen during the new offensive.