Houthis kill 8 near Aden as Yemeni govt bolsters city defences

On Sunday, Yemen's Houthi fighters carried out a missile attack near Aden, killing eight people and wounding 12 others, according to military and government sources. The attack took place at a checkpoint in Lahj province, as the Houthis continued their push towards the interim capital city, which they seized from government forces in 2014.

The Yemeni government has been retreating from fighting near the Red Sea to defend Aden, with troops being redeployed from the strategic Bab al-Mandab strait area to bolster local forces. In a humanitarian initiative, the Houthis released 600 government-held prisoners, calling it the largest unilateral prisoner release and pardon operation in the conflict's history.

The ongoing truce between the Houthis and the Saudi-backed government collapsed in July, leading to a resurgence of hostilities in southern Yemen. Both sides have suffered heavy casualties in recent fighting, with the UN reporting over 1,600 deaths and 300,000 displaced since the conflict reignited. The Houthis have been steadily expanding their control along Yemen's western coastline, including seizing the mountainous region of al-Maqatirah and controlling the Bab al-Mandab strait, a crucial trade route between Asia and Europe.