In Yemen’s civil war, Dhubab is a focal point of the Bab el-Mandeb crisis, with escalating battles near key Red Sea shipping routes.
New satellite imagery shows intensified movement at Pickaxe Mountain near Natanz, with reinforced portal accesses and internal road work. The IAEA is monitoring the site while geopolitical tensions between the U.S. and Iran remain high. Trump has warned of a hard response should Tehran advance its nuclear program.
Saudi officials have reported that air defences intercepted ballistic missiles and drones aimed at Riyadh, Taif and the Red Sea port of Yanbu after Houthi forces have seized Red Sea coast positions and tightened control of the Bab al‑Mandeb. Saudi civil defence has issued and later lifted alerts; there are no immediate confirmed civilian casualties.
Houthi advances along Yemen’s coast and the capture of Mocha put Bab el-Mandeb at risk. The United States faces political pressure as it weighs whether to intervene, while Saudi Arabia seeks to protect Red Sea shipping amid Iran-linked disruptions.
Yemen's internationally recognised government has announced a nationwide military offensive to retake territory from the Iran-aligned Houthi movement. The move follows Houthi gains along the Red Sea coast, the cutting of Taiz's main supply road and Houthi missile and drone attacks on Saudi Aramco sites. Saudi-led air strikes are supporting the counteroffensive.
Yemeni ground forces, backed by a Saudi-led coalition, have expanded operations along the Red Sea coast, retaking key districts as heavy air support continues. Houthi missiles and drones have targeted sites in Saudi Arabia and Aden, raising fears of a broader regional disruption to shipping through the Bab el-Mandeb strait and the Red Sea corridor.
The Saudi-led coalition-backed government is retaking towns near the Bab al-Mandeb Strait amid a broader offensive. Houthis have pushed into Taiz and other western areas, with air support and thousands of troops involved. The operation follows recent gains by the Houthis and marks a renewed phase in Yemen’s civil war.
The Iran-backed Houthis have claimed new strikes against Saudi Arabia, targeting airports and military sites as fighting in Yemen widens. Saudi forces say they are intercepting missiles north of Riyadh, while ground and air operations on Yemen’s western coast intensify. The conflict risks disrupting regional shipping routes amid a broader regional confrontation.