Yemeni military says it has 'secured' Red Sea waterway

Yemeni pro-government forces backed by Saudi Arabia say they have "secured" the Bab al-Mandab Strait at the southern end of the Red Sea, at the start of a major offensive against the Iran-backed Houthi movement.

The Yemeni military also said in a statement that National Shield, Giants Brigades and Tihama Resistance forces had captured the Red Sea city of Mokha on Monday afternoon with the help of Saudi air strikes.

But in conflicting reports, unnamed Yemeni government and military sources told news agencies Reuters and AFP that the forces have only reached the city's outskirts.

The Houthis said they had struck Riyadh's international airport and other sites, but did not comment regarding Mokha.

Saudi Arabia condemned the attacks and reiterated calls for the UN Security Council's permanent members to support Yemen's government.

Four government sources told Reuters that Yemeni forces had reached the outskirts of Mokha late on Monday, and that Houthi fighters were now retreating.

Government military sources who spoke to AFP would not confirm the capture of the city, but said "our forces took control of the Dhubab military airfield and cut the road linking the Dhubab district to the Bab al-Mandab area".

Earlier, the Yemeni military also said its forces had seized Dhubab airport, 45km (27 miles) to the south, and were besieging Houthi fighters inside the nearby town.