Fierce fighting continues near Bab al-Mandeb Strait in Yemen

Fierce clashes persist near the Bab al-Mandeb Strait in Yemen, between the Iran-backed Houthi militia and the internationally recognized government forces. The ongoing battles have been concentrated in the mountainous Taiz province, a strategic region crucial for controlling the coastal waters. Government sources reported that the Houthi rebels recently captured several strategically important islands on Yemen's western coast, granting them unrestricted access to the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, a crucial waterway connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden.

Despite efforts by government forces to halt the Houthi advance, the rebels have continued their offensive, backed by airstrikes. Dozens of rebels were killed or wounded in the fighting, and a Houthi drone was shot down near the strait. Both sides have accused each other of launching airstrikes, though the claims could not be independently verified.

The fighting has resulted in the displacement of approximately 67,000 people in the Taiz region, with over 125,000 people believed to have been displaced across the country since the beginning of the month. Among the casualties, at least five people, including three children, have been killed in the intensified attacks between Saudi Arabia and Yemen's Houthis. One civilian in Saudi Arabia was killed after a Houthi drone was intercepted, and two others were injured.

Houthi media reported airstrikes by Saudi warplanes targeting communications towers in the provinces of Taiz and Hajjah, while Houthi-backed media claimed that three children were killed and several Yemeni nationals were injured in strikes by Saudi-backed mercenaries.