Aden (South24 Center)

The Southern Armed Forces announced on Sunday (November 15, 2026) the redeployment of their troops from Dhubab Military Airport and the Bab Al-Mandeb area in western Taiz Governorate to strengthen the defenses of Aden and neighboring South Yemen governorates. The move marks a significant battlefield development following weeks of intense fighting with the Houthis along the western coast and Lahj fronts.

In an official statement, the Southern Forces said the move was part of a reorganization of their military deployment aimed at reinforcing their presence in areas and operational sectors deemed necessary by evolving battlefield conditions, amid Houthi military buildups and threats targeting Aden and neighboring governorates.

The statement reaffirmed the forces' commitment to confronting the Houthis, emphasizing that the redeployment did not signal an end to military operations and that protecting Aden and South Yemen's governorates, along with reinforcing the front lines, remained a priority at this stage.

It added that the Southern Forces would continue efforts to break the siege of Taiz, with support from the Saudi-led coalition, stressing that their responsibility to confront the Houthis was not confined to any particular geographic location.

A military source told South24 Center on Sunday that the Southern Forces had redeployed to the Al-Suqya area in Lahj Governorate, adjacent to the Bab Al-Mandeb front, after leaving their positions at Dhubab Airport.

The source added that the Southern Forces were currently concentrating their efforts on defending the front lines along South Yemen's borders, amid continued Houthi military buildups and attacks across several sectors.

Al-Suqya is located within Al-Mudharaba and Ras Al-Ara District in western Lahj, along the geographic corridor connecting the fronts near the Bab Al-Mandeb Strait. It is close to areas that have witnessed repeated clashes between Southern Forces and the Houthis in recent weeks.

The area holds military significance because of its proximity to western Lahj's front lines and routes leading toward Aden, as Al-Mudharaba, Ras Al-Ara, and Khor Umairah continue to witness clashes and missile attacks.

The official statement did not specify the number of troops involved in the redeployment or whether all units stationed in the Bab Al-Mandeb sector had withdrawn from their positions.

In a separate statement, the government military spokesperson welcomed the Southern Forces' position.

The statement affirmed that liberating Bab Al-Mandeb and the western coast was an inherent right of the armed forces, calling on the international community to fulfill its responsibilities and contribute to the liberation effort, given the strait's strategic importance to maritime security and international trade.

The redeployment announcement comes more than a month after Southern Forces, backed by Saudi air support, launched a military operation against Houthi positions along the western coast and around Bab Al-Mandeb.

On October 5, the Southern Giants Brigades announced that they had captured Dhubab Military Airport and cut the main road linking the city of Al-Mokha to the Bab Al-Mandeb area, while surrounding Houthi positions in the vicinity.

In a report published by South24 Center on October 7, a military source said Southern Forces had established positions in the Dhubab Airport sector, while the Houthis continued to maintain a presence in other parts of the district, including Dhubab village. The Houthis also continued to control Mayyun Island.

The developments followed a major Houthi advance in September, during which the group captured Dhubab town and Mayyun Island, strategically located in the Bab Al-Mandeb Strait.

Over the following weeks, the Southern Giants Brigades and Nation's Shield Forces (Der' Al-Watan) engaged in repeated clashes with the Houthis along the Kahbub, Al-Mudharaba, Ras Al-Ara, and Al-Maqatirah fronts, amid competing efforts to control strategic highlands and supply routes.

Fighting intensified again in recent days along the Al-Muhawala, Al-Aghbirah, Al-Sareeh, and Al-Shatt fronts, involving Southern Forces and fighters from the Al-Subaiha tribes, alongside missile and artillery shelling and airstrikes targeting various positions.

Battlefield developments in Bab Al-Mandeb and Lahj have coincided with an escalation in Houthi missile attacks on Aden and surrounding areas.

On November 12, the Khraz area in Al-Mudharaba and Ras Al-Ara District came under missile attack, amid reports of casualties near a refugee camp. The Houthis, meanwhile, claimed to have targeted what they described as military concentrations in the area.

On the evening of November 13, Houthi missiles struck Southern Forces' military camps in Aden, according to a military source who spoke to South24 Center. The group also announced a ballistic missile and drone attack targeting Ras Abbas Camp in western Aden.

On Saturday (November 14), the government military spokesperson also announced that Aden had come under attack by two ballistic missiles, while clashes between Southern Forces and the Houthis continued along several fronts in Lahj Governorate.