Saudi-led coalition forces recaptured several strategic towns around the Bab al-Mandab strait from Houthi rebels in Yemen on Monday, according to Yemeni government officials.
The coalition forces retook Dhubab, a town north of the strait, along with the towns of Bab and Hadeid, the officials said. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to reporters. Witnesses reported seeing government tanks and forces entering the towns.
The offensive operates under air cover provided by the Saudi military coalition and aims to recapture all territory currently held by the Iran-backed Houthis.
The Bab al-Mandab strait sits between Yemen and the Horn of Africa and serves as a critical shipping passage. Control of towns around the waterway carries strategic importance for both the coalition and the Houthis.