Ansarullah Moves to Consolidate Military Position at Bab al-Mandab; Warns Turkey Against Consequences of Syria's Entry into War

Sanaa: According to Raaz News | The Ansarullah movement is seeking to consolidate its field gains along Yemen's western coast and the areas surrounding the Bab al-Mandab Strait, while political consultations with regional actors continue in an effort to contain tensions. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia is reportedly seeking to recruit foreign forces and encourage the Syrian transitional government to participate in the military developments in Yemen.

The Ansarullah movement is working to shore up its military position on Yemen's western front at a time when developments around the strategic Bab al-Mandab Strait and the Red Sea coast have once again become one of the sensitive focal points of the region's security equation.

According to a report by the Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar, citing informed sources, forces affiliated with the Sanaa-based government are seeking greater control over the highlands overlooking the routes leading to Bab al-Mandab — a move that, in the view of these sources, could strengthen Ansarullah's military position in the area.

Alongside field movements, the movement's leaders are also conducting consultations with various regional parties to prevent the expansion of the confrontation and to influence neighboring countries' positions regarding developments in Yemen.

Consultations with Egypt; Sanaa Warns of Consequences of Entering the War

Informed sources told Al-Akhbar that contacts between Ansarullah leaders and the Egyptian government regarding developments in Yemen are continuing.

According to these sources, Sanaa has warned Cairo that Egypt's direct or indirect participation in the conflicts in Yemen will serve neither the country's interests nor the interests of the Yemeni people.

Per the report, the Egyptian side has spoken of the possibility of sending a limited number of officers to assist in organizing Saudi forces in border areas. Egyptian officials are in contact with Sanaa to reassure the Yemeni side, and Ansarullah likewise prefers to use positive, non-escalatory language toward Cairo.

According to these sources, Ansarullah leaders have advised Egypt through diplomatic channels to refrain from entering this conflict, arguing that what Cairo may present as defending Saudi Arabia would, from Sanaa's perspective, constitute an action against Yemen.

The sources reported that financial and economic considerations, among other factors, are among Egypt's motives for examining such cooperation.

Proposal to Send 50,000 Forces from Syria to Yemen

In another part of the report, Syria is identified as one of the parties whose participation in the military developments in Yemen is assessed as more likely than that of other actors.

Mohammed bin Salman, the Saudi crown prince, has proposed to Ahmed al-Sharaa, head of the Syrian transitional government, that approximately 50,000 military forces be sent to Yemen, with responsibility for managing operations and supervising accompanying groups entrusted to him.

These forces are to operate alongside groups recruited from Sudan and some African countries. Riyadh is also said to have offered Damascus significant financial incentives in exchange for such cooperation, including a commitment to participate in the reconstruction of Syria and the allocation of sums of around five to seven thousand dollars for each deployed force.

According to the report, military consultations among Syrian officials have raised the issue of using forces of various nationalities, including Uyghurs, Uzbeks, and some Arab forces. Per the same account, Saudi Arabia has requested the drafting of plans for the use of drones and large-scale attacks against positions under Ansarullah control.

Ansarullah Warns Turkey About Consequences of Syria's Entry

The report further states that Ansarullah's leadership has warned the Turkish government, through its communication channels, about the possible consequences of Syria's entry into the war in Yemen.

According to Al-Akhbar, Sanaa officials have asked Ankara to convey to Syrian officials that such a step will not only fail to change the field equation but could also create a new and difficult front to contain.

The newspaper's sources also Turkish officials do not agree with encouraging Syria to participate militarily in Yemen. At the same time, Ahmed al-Sharaa is said to be seeking Syria's formal membership in the "Mecca Pact" so as to justify sending forces to Saudi Arabia within the framework of defending the country.

Ansarullah's Efforts to Reassure Southern Yemen

On the field level, Ansarullah forces have focused on seizing the highlands overlooking the routes leading to Bab al-Mandab — areas that militarily dominate the movement of forces and communication routes on Yemen's western front.

In this context, sources have reported contacts between Ansarullah leaders and tribal and local figures in Aden and other southern governorates.

According to these sources, Sanaa has stated in these consultations that it has no plans to advance toward southern areas and that the routes leading to Aden will remain open. However, Ansarullah has asked southern leaders and currents to work to keep Saudi forces and allied Salafi groups away from their areas.

Per the report, some southern leaders have responded that Saudi Arabia, through pressure and restrictions, is trying to suppress any opposition to participation in the war and is exploiting the atmosphere of conflict to sideline independent southern figures.

A number of southern forces unwilling to cooperate with Saudi Arabia are withdrawing from their positions, and Salafi groups are operating mainly within the confines of bases supervised by Saudi officers.

Meanwhile, developments in Aden and Mukalla are also being assessed as signs of Riyadh's effort to draw southern currents into the battlefield. Opposition by the Southern Transitional Council and a number of local leaders to this process has pushed Saudi Arabia to make greater use of foreign forces, including forces of African nationalities.

Escalating Clashes on the Western Front and Concern Over Expansion of the Humanitarian Crisis

According to published information, clashes in recent days in the areas of Al-Maqatirah, Bab al-Mandab, and Kahboub have left significant casualties, with the names of the dead including Ayman Askar, a commander of one of the brigades affiliated with the "Deterrence Force" in the Bab al-Mandab area.

Sources have also reported increased pressure on medical centers and hospitals due to the high number of wounded and killed on various fronts.

Meanwhile, the distance of forces affiliated with Sanaa from the coast of the Arabian Sea has reached less than 20 kilometers. Should such an advance materialize and these forces gain control of the intended routes, the possibility arises of cutting the communication route between Aden and Bab al-Mandab and making support for Saudi-aligned forces around the city of Dhubab more difficult.

Bab al-Mandab; A Sensitive Point in Military and Regional Rivalries

Recent developments in western Yemen have once again highlighted the strategic importance of Bab al-Mandab in the region's security equation. The strait is considered one of the world's important passages for trade and maritime transport, and any change in the military balance around it could have consequences extending beyond Yemen's borders.