Five Soldiers and Thirteen Houthi Fighters Killed in Yemen Clashes

Five soldiers were killed in clashes between Yemeni government forces and Houthi attackers in the southwest of the country, which also resulted in the death of at least thirteen fighters. Colonel Mohammed al-Naqib, spokesman for the southern forces aligned with the government, stated that the clashes occurred on Wednesday following a Houthi attack on the Ash-Sharijah front that separates the government-controlled areas in Lahij governorate from Houthi-controlled regions in Taiz governorate. He confirmed that "the forces succeeded in repelling" the attack, noting that "five soldiers were martyred and others were injured." The internationally recognized government condemned the "treacherous attack." Yemeni Minister of Information, Culture, and Tourism Muammar Al-Eryani mentioned in a statement on the platform "X" that "the heroic forces stationed at the Al-Dawari mountains front in the Khash area of Lahij governorate repelled the treacherous attack launched by the Houthi militia, inflicting heavy losses in lives and equipment on the militia," without providing a toll. The conflict in Yemen began in 2014 when the Houthis seized large areas in the north of the country, including the capital, Sana'a. The intensity of fighting has significantly decreased since a UN-brokered truce was announced in April 2022, although its effectiveness ended after six months. However, following the outbreak of war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza on October 7, the Iran-backed Houthis have been carrying out attacks targeting ships in the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea for several months, claiming they are linked to Israel and declaring that they are acting in support of the besieged Palestinians in the sector.