Yemen Conflict Escalates as Houthi Rebels Clash with Government Forces
The conflict in Yemen has escalated as Iran-backed Houthi rebels clashed with government forces overnight Thursday, killing at least one soldier and critically wounding another. This comes amidst a spate of recent attacks by the Houthis on government-held areas across the country, resulting in dozens of government troops killed since last week.
The Houthis have also been targeting oil facilities in neighboring Saudi Arabia, which supports the Yemeni government, and the kingdom's shipping in the Red Sea. A Houthi-controlled news agency reported that their forces used drones to strike an Aramco oil refinery in Saudi Arabia for the second time in several days.
The United Nations special envoy for Yemen warned that Yemen is at greater risk of returning to large-scale conflict than at any time since a 2022 truce ended nearly a decade of war. The UN humanitarian chief said Yemen faces 'catastrophe' from rising hunger and crumbling health services amid the fighting, with 6 million people facing emergency levels of food insecurity bordering on famine.