Riyadh(The COW News Digital )At least 68 people have been killed in Yemen over the past 24 hours following intense clashes between Houthi rebels and Saudi-backed government forces.
Yemeni government officials reported that Houthi missile and drone strikes in southwestern regions resulted in the deaths of 23 soldiers. Conversely, Houthi military sources claimed 40 fighters were killed in Saudi-led airstrikes and ground engagements. Civilian casualties were also reported, including one death in Taif, Saudi Arabia, caused by intercepted drone debris, and the deaths of three children in Taiz following attacks by government-aligned forces.
According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the renewed violence has displaced more than 100,000 individuals. Houthi forces continue their advance along the Red Sea coast, triggering heightened concerns over the security of vital maritime routes. Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi called for an end to Saudi military strikes and the naval blockade, while Houthi media claimed to have downed a Saudi F-15 jet, an assertion that remains independently unverified.
The escalating conflict is impacting global energy markets and maritime trade. Coupled with existing transit disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, rising instability around the Bab-el-Mandeb strait threatens alternative routing for Gulf oil shipments to international markets.
