Yemen war escalates: What’s the latest, as government forces claim gains?

Yemeni government forces have made significant advances on the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, military and government sources reported on Monday. The offensive aims to reclaim territory from the Houthis, who have been advancing on the vital waterway and surrounding government forces in the nearby Dhubab district. With support from a Saudi-led coalition, government forces have taken control of large parts of the Dhubab district and asserted full control over the area using heavy air support.

Meanwhile, the Houthis attacked government forces in sections of the mountain road leading to the major city of Taiz on Sunday, besieging the city. However, conflicting reports emerged, with one government source denying that the road had been cut. The Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a key energy export route, has come under threat due to the ongoing civil war in Yemen, which erupted in a spillover from the US-Iran conflict.

With Gulf energy exports already restricted by Iran's closure of the Hormuz Strait, the fighting in Yemen has raised global prices and increased risks in the already tumultuous region.