Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to Yemen, Mohammed Al Jaber, declared Friday that the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait has been "cleared" of Houthi forces. Three citizens were killed and several others injured after missile strikes targeted King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi authorities confirmed Friday.
"Victory for every Yemeni and Arab. Bab al-Mandeb has been cleared of the remnants of the Houthi terrorist militia" Al Jaber stated in a post on X (formerly Twitter). He did not provide further operational details and the Houthi movement did not immediately issue a comment.
The strategic waterway a critical maritime bottleneck connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden became a flashpoint after fighting escalated significantly in July, marking the heaviest clashes in Yemen since a 2022 UN-brokered truce.
As violence intensified through September, Houthi fighters seized key territory in Hudaydah and Taiz provinces, advancing to Mayyun Island within the strait. In response, Yemeni government forces, backed by the Saudi-led coalition, launched "Operation Dawn of Yemen" earlier this week to retake lost territory and secure vital shipping routes.
Yemen has been embroiled in civil war since 2014 when Houthis captured the capital, Sanaa, prompting Saudi military intervention the following year to support the internationally recognized government.
The attack, launched by Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi movement, struck airport facilities and damaged a grounded Saudia Airlines aircraft. Flight Captain Hamoud Ali Alkalthami was among those killed, according to the national flag carrier.
The General Authority of Civil Aviation reported that emergency teams quickly contained the damage and normal flight operations resumed by Thursday evening.
The assault marks a sharp escalation in regional hostilities following renewed fighting in Yemen. In response, a Saudi-led coalition launched overnight airstrikes against Houthi targets in Sanaa also destroying three missile launch platforms.
