houthis clash yemeni
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Houthis clash with Yemeni government forces as regional tensions escalate

Fighting between Iran-backed Houthi rebels and Yemeni government troops intensified in Taiz province, claiming the life of at least one government soldier and critically injuring another amid fears of a renewed civil war.

Yemeni military officials reported that the recent flare-up is part of a broader wave of Houthi assaults across multiple provinces that have killed dozens of government troops over the past week. Concurrently, the Houthis claimed responsibility for a drone attack targeting a Saudi Aramco oil refinery in Jazan, marking the second reported strike on the facility following an incident last weekend that caused a localized fire.

The military escalation coincides with a Houthi-announced blockade on Saudi maritime shipping, further threatening crucial red sea trade corridors. In response to regional instability, the US Navy directed the USS George Washington to deploy toward the Middle East, replacing the USS Abraham Lincoln following reported operational strains and crew welfare concerns aboard the long-deployed carrier.

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