The institute said allied air and intelligence support almost certainly made the offensive possible, with US intelligence reportedly supporting the air campaign. The Saudi-led coalition said 100 fighter jets participated and 324 targets were struck. Government forces said they recaptured the Red Sea port city of Mocha and gained effective control of Bab el-Mandeb, but the Houthis denied losing the coast and the full extent of the gains has not been independently verified.
The coastal advance coincided with Houthi gains inland. Five government military sources told Reuters that Houthi forces advanced around Taiz and took sections of the road connecting the city with Aden. The institute said government forces would need a defensible line to repel attacks combining drones and ground troops, a tactic the Houthis employed in early September.