Forces backed by a Saudi-led military coalition have recaptured several key areas near the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait from Iran-backed Houthi rebels, Yemeni officials said, as fighting intensified along Yemen’s western coast.

The Houthis, meanwhile, claimed to have launched missile and drone attacks on Saudi oil facilities, airports and military bases.

Yemeni officials said government-allied forces retook the strategic town of Dhubab, just north of the strait, which connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and serves as a major international shipping route.

The forces also captured the towns of Bab and Hadeid, the officials said on Monday, speaking on condition of anonymity as they were not authorised to talk to reporters. Witnesses reported seeing government troops and tanks entering the towns.

The offensive began early Monday with air support from the Saudi-led coalition.

Houthi military spokesman Brig Gen Yahya Saree said in a prerecorded statement that the rebels used ballistic and cruise missiles and drones to target King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh and an oil refinery in Rabigh, a Red Sea city.

He also claimed attacks on Abha airport, military facilities in Khamis Mushait and other strategic sites in Najran and Jizan.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the Saudi-backed Yemeni government was expected to retaliate against the Houthis to regain lost territory.

Asked whether the operation had been coordinated with Washington, Rubio said Saudi Arabia and the United States had a defence agreement but declined to provide further details.

He said Saudi Arabia had the right to defend itself following Houthi attacks and the loss of government-controlled territory.

US warns citizens of possible attacks

The United States has provided support to Saudi Arabia in its campaign against the Houthis, including intelligence sharing, target identification and operational planning, according to a regional official and a US official who spoke anonymously because they were not authorised to comment publicly.

Washington had supported the Saudi-led coalition during the early years of Yemen’s war before withdrawing from the coalition in subsequent years.

The US Embassy in Riyadh urged American citizens to remain alert to possible drone and missile attacks.

The latest offensive came shortly after the Houthis announced further territorial gains in southwestern Yemen, including the capture of a key town as they advanced towards an important provincial capital.

Saudi-led coalition spokesman Maj Gen Turki al-Malki said 100 fighter jets were supporting government forces. He added that the coalition had secured air protection over the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and destroyed hundreds of Houthi targets.

Pakistan, Turkey agree to send forces to Saudi Arabia

On Monday, the foreign and defence ministers of Pakistan and Turkey agreed with Saudi Arabia to deploy military forces to the kingdom under their defence pact.

A joint statement issued by Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry after an emergency meeting in Riyadh did not specify the number of troops, the countries that would contribute them or the deployment schedule.

The three countries condemned what they described as attempted attacks on the holy cities of Mecca and Medina, along with continued attacks on Saudi cities, civilian facilities and economic infrastructure. The statement did not identify those responsible.

Fighting escalates after Houthi capture of key town

The latest escalation has reignited Yemen’s civil war following a four-year ceasefire.

The Houthis captured Turbah on Sunday. The town lies on a major road connecting Taiz, the provincial capital, with the port city of Aden, which serves as the interim seat of Yemen’s internationally recognised government.

Turbah has long been an important position for government forces defending Taiz.

The rebels had earlier captured several villages and areas on the outskirts of Taiz, raising concerns that they could encircle the country’s third-largest city.

The Houthis made rapid advances along Yemen’s western Red Sea coast in early September, capturing the strategic city of Mokha and several Red Sea islands. These gains enabled them to control Yemen’s side of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, through which around 12% of global trade passes.

The Saudi-backed government announced on Sunday that it was mobilising troops across areas under its control.

Rashad al-Alimi, head of the Presidential Leadership Council, said in a televised address that the military operations aimed to recover the remaining territories held by the Houthis. He also urged the international community to support his government.

Hours later, coalition spokesman al-Malki pledged full military support for Yemeni government forces until the Houthis were eliminated.

Government launches ‘Yemen Dawn’ operation

In a post on X on Monday, al-Alimi said an operation dubbed “Yemen Dawn” had begun to restore state institutions, retake Sanaa, the rebel-controlled capital, and end what he called the Houthi militia’s coup.

Al-Nazili said government forces were conducting a strategic offensive towards Sanaa. Houthi media outlets reported multiple airstrikes on rebel-held areas, including the capital.

The capture of Turbah could make it harder for government forces to reinforce troops and deliver supplies to front-line positions across Taiz province, including the provincial capital, according to the Washington-based Institute for the Study of War.

Conflict takes a heavy humanitarian toll

Yemen’s civil war began in 2014 when the Houthis advanced from their northern stronghold, seized Sanaa and forced the government into exile in Saudi Arabia.

The conflict has caused one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises and killed more than 150,000 people over the years.

According to the World Health Organization, the latest round of fighting has killed at least 959 people and injured more than 4,200 others.

The UN migration agency said the violence had forced around 174,097 people to flee their homes within Yemen, while more than 3,000 others had crossed the sea to Djibouti.

Last week, Yemen’s Health Ministry, which operates under the internationally recognised government, warned that the conflict was disrupting healthcare services and putting medical workers at risk across Taiz province.

In a statement on Friday, the ministry said healthcare facilities in the province’s coastal, western and southern areas had either closed or were operating only partially.