Retaking Bab al-Mandab Has Strategic Value, but Airstrikes Alone Cannot Decide Battle, Expert Says

Securing control of Bab al-Mandab represents a military achievement with strategic value, according to military and strategic expert Lieutenant General Qasid Mahmoud.

Mahmoud, a former deputy chief of staff of the Jordanian army, highlighted the importance of control over the strait in assessing the fighting in Yemen.

He also cautioned that aerial bombardment alone cannot determine the outcome of the battle, distinguishing the role of air power from the objective of securing control on the ground.

Bab al-Mandab links the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden, making it a strategically important passage for maritime traffic. Its significance extends beyond the immediate battlefield to access along a major shipping route.