Southern Giants Forces claim drone strikes on Houthi positions near Bab al-Mandab

What happened

Yemen's Southern Giants Forces, a UAE-backed militia now operating alongside Saudi-backed government forces, reportedly claimed on 22 September that their Falcons drone unit conducted precision strikes against Houthi vehicles and fighters in the Al-Waziyah and Kahboub areas of southern Abyan Governorate. The claim was distributed via Telegram by ClashReport. No independent confirmation of strike results or damage has been reported.

Context and assessment

The Bab al-Mandab strait region remains strategically contested, with control of southern Yemen's Red Sea approaches critical to both Houthi maritime operations and coalition shipping security. Recent strikes in the area—including a reported Houthi ballistic missile strike on a crowded qat market in Ras al-Arah on 21 September—suggest sustained tit-for-tat escalation in the governorate. The Southern Giants Forces' use of UAS platforms reflects a shift toward drone-centric operations by UAE-aligned actors, consistent with broader patterns in the conflict of increased unmanned strikes alongside conventional artillery and missile fire.

Sources and confidence

Single-source reporting via Telegram channel ClashReport, with no cross-confirmation from independent monitors or opposing parties. Low confidence reflects absence of corroborating imagery, secondary sources, or damage assessment. Confidence could be raised by visual evidence or acknowledgment from other actors; it would lower if the Houthi response or international monitoring finds no evidence of strikes.

Location

Al-Waziyah settlement, Abyan Governorate, southern Yemen, approximately 100 km east of Aden and near the Bab al-Mandab strait. The area sits within disputed territory contested by government, Southern Giants Forces, and Houthi elements. Kahboub lies in the same regional vicinity. Precision claimed but geographic confidence remains low pending additional reporting.

Related events nearby

• Large explosion struck a crowded qat market in Ras al-Arah near Bab al-Mandab. Southern/government sources att2026-09-21 14:40 UTC · Ballistic Missile · Ras al-Ara, Lahij Governorate, Yemen

▶ View this event on the live map

Intel Mapper aggregates open-source reports from monitored Telegram and X channels, geolocates them, cross-checks duplicates across sources and assigns a confidence score. Entries are updated as new confirmations arrive. Read how we verify events.