Saudi-aligned forces recapture areas near strategic strait from Houthis – reports

Saudi-led coalition forces in Yemen have reclaimed several key areas near the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait, according to reports citing Yemeni officials. The forces reportedly drove out Iran-backed Houthis from territories the group had seized in a recent offensive, regaining control over the outskirts of Mocha city on Monday. Naval forces also carried out a military operation in Yemen’s Red Sea governorate of Hodeidah, capturing an airstrip in the Dhubab district near the Strait of Bab el-Mandeb, according to Reuters.

In response to the Yemeni government's advances, the Houthis claimed they had launched retaliatory attacks on oil facilities, airports, and other infrastructure in Saudi Arabia. The group, which has controlled major sections of Yemen since 2014, including its capital Sanaa, dismissed the government's claims as unfounded, Reuters reported.

Earlier this weekend, the Houthis reportedly seized the town of Turbah, which links the provincial capital of Taiz with the port city of Aden, the interim seat of Yemen's government, according to the Associated Press. The AP also noted that the Houthis have captured areas surrounding Taiz, Yemen’s third-largest city.

The gains made by the Houthis have given them leverage over the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a crucial waterway that links the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden. This chokepoint has been a major supply route for Saudi Arabia's oil exports due to Iran effectively closing the nearby Strait of Hormuz following a joint U.S.-Israeli assault that began late February.

There have been concerns that the restriction of oil flows through the twin chokepoints of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb could disrupt energy markets. However, Gulf oil exporters have managed to surpass pre-war levels for roughly half of September, based on shipping data cited by Reuters. According to Kpler data, the seven-day moving average for crude exports from the region on September 30 stood at 18.3 million barrels per day, surpassing pre-war levels for 14 days last month.