ADEN, Yemen, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) -- Forces aligned with Yemen's internationally recognized government launched a fresh ground offensive near the strategic Bab al-Mandab Strait on Tuesday, government sources told Xinhua.
Various government-aligned units attacked Houthi positions early Tuesday, sparking fierce clashes, a government military source said, describing the attack as "a renewed push to fully secure Bab al-Mandab" after several previous offensives failed to completely dislodge the Houthi group from the strategic area.
The ground fighting coincided with renewed airstrikes along Yemen's southwestern Red Sea coast. Houthi-run al-Masirah TV reported Tuesday that a series of strikes targeted several areas in Mocha district of Taiz province, including the strategic Red Sea port of Mocha.
A second source within the Yemeni government said the latest push had taken on added urgency as "regional diplomacy raised prospects for mediation and a possible truce" amid the escalating confrontation involving the Houthis, Yemeni government forces and Saudi Arabia.
"If there is a truce, the map on the ground will matter," the source said. "The aim is to prevent Bab al-Mandab from remaining a bargaining card in the Houthis' hands."
The Houthis advanced into the Bab al-Mandab area in September, capturing Mayyun, also known as Perim, the strategically located island at the heart of the strait. The area has since remained fiercely contested.
The renewed battle comes as regional diplomacy gains momentum. Senior officials from Iran, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Türkiye met in Tehran on Monday and agreed to continue talks aimed at promoting regional peace and security.
Yemen has been mired in conflict since late 2014, when the Houthis seized the capital, Sanaa, and much of northern Yemen, prompting the Saudi Arabia-led coalition to intervene the following year in support of the Yemeni government. ■
