A source in the Yemeni presidency told Asharq Al‑Awsat that the Southern Armed Forces’ redeployment near Bab al‑Mandab and Dhubab was a calculated military move aimed at three main objectives: protecting Aden, reinforcing the fronts in Lahj and setting the stage to lift the siege of Taiz and liberate the province.
Jaber Mohammed, a media adviser to the presidency and former director of Abu Zara’a Al‑Muharrami’s office, clarified that the shift from the Bab al‑Mandab and Dhubab area should not be seen as a withdrawal but as a redistribution of troops to reinforce positions with greater influence over the fighting.
The redeployment, he said, is intended to protect Aden, bolster the Lahj fronts and create the conditions for ending the Taiz siege.
Colonel Majed Abdullah Al‑Nuzaily, spokesman for the Yemeni Armed Forces, emphasized that the Southern Forces’ commitment to breaking the Taiz siege reflects a national stance at a critical juncture. He stressed that safeguarding the capital Aden and ending the Taiz siege are national and moral duties to counter Houthi militia violations.
Observers note that Aden and its neighboring provinces constitute a strategic hinterland and a major political, economic and demographic hub. Strengthening defensive lines around the city is therefore vital to protect state institutions and prevent the conflict from spreading toward the capital.
Jaber explained that deploying troops along the exposed coastal strip increases their vulnerability, while the greatest danger lies in the mountainous heights overlooking Bab al‑Mandab, Dhubab and Mayyun Island. Controlling these heights, he added, would allow an occupying force to threaten the coastline and outflank troops stationed there.
The Southern Forces have repositioned themselves in the Al‑Suqyah area, roughly six to eight kilometres from Bab al‑Mandab, keeping them within the front’s operational zone.
A Southern military commander warned that losing the elevated positions could open a route for an advance toward Lahj and Aden, especially given the proximity of Ras Al‑Arah and Al‑Mudaribah to Aden’s Al‑Buraiqah district. Securing these heights, he said, would help protect the coastal strip and enable troops to operate in more advantageous terrain, reducing the strain of maintaining exposed positions.
In a statement, the Southern Armed Forces said the redeployment responded to evolving battlefield priorities and does not signify abandoning the fight against the Houthis or the effort to lift the Taiz siege.
The statement stressed that protecting Aden, its institutions and residents remains a priority, alongside reinforcing front lines and confronting existing threats.
The forces reaffirmed their commitment to continue operations with the support of the Saudi‑led Coalition to Support Legitimacy in Yemen until state institutions are restored and fully functional.
According to the presidential media adviser, since the launch of Operation Fajr Yemen on 5 October, Southern Forces have advanced toward Dhubab Airport and parts of Bab al‑Mandab and Kahbub.
He noted that Al‑Wazi’iyah and the highlands overlooking the coast remain strategically important, and assessed that the Kahbub mountains are still under the control of forces affiliated with the Yemeni government.
Jaber Mohammed stressed that evaluating terrain, troop placements, enemy weapons and attack methods is essential for operational planning.
He added that expanding the fighting across multiple fronts could disperse Houthi forces and ease pressure on individual battlefronts.
Yemeni military sources emphasized that Aden’s security is non‑negotiable and any threat to the temporary capital will be met with a firm response.
They described the developments as more than a simple redeployment, framing them as part of efforts to prevent new realities from being imposed by force and to safeguard state institutions and national resources.
Earlier, Al‑Nuzaily highlighted that liberating Bab al‑Mandab and the western coast is an inherent right of the armed forces.
He called on the international community to fulfil its responsibilities by contributing to liberation efforts, given the strait’s vital importance to maritime security and international trade.
Al‑Nuzaily said the armed forces remain united in their duty to protect the Yemeni people, their resources and to confront threats from the Houthi militia.
He reaffirmed that Operation Fajr Yemen will continue to pursue its stated objectives until the Houthi threat is eliminated.