Yemeni military says it has retaken Mokha and 'secured' Red Sea waterway

Key Points:

• Yemeni pro-government forces, backed by Saudi Arabia, claim to have "secured" the Bab al-Mandab Strait and captured the Red Sea city of Mokha with Saudi air support, although some reports indicate they have only reached the city's outskirts.
• The Iran-backed Houthi movement denies losing control of Bab al-Mandab and Mokha and retaliated with missile and drone attacks on Saudi Arabia, targeting Riyadh's airport and oil facilities.
• Saudi Arabia condemned the Houthi attacks and called for UN Security Council support, while allies Turkey and Pakistan agreed to deploy military forces to Saudi Arabia under the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement.
• The offensive, named Operation Yemen Dawn, aims to retake Houthi-held territories including the capital Sanaa, with Saudi-led coalition jets providing continuous air support and striking hundreds of targets.
• The conflict, ongoing since 2014, has escalated recently after the breakdown of a ceasefire and Houthi attacks on Saudi ports and oil infrastructure, impacting global oil markets due to the strategic importance of the Bab al-Mandab Strait.