Yemen: 150+ killed as Houthis battle government forces for Red Sea heights

Houthi rebels are battling Saudi-backed government forces for mountains overlooking the Bab al-Mandeb Strait as casualties and displacement mount.

• Yemeni military sources reported more than 150 killed in two days of airstrikes and clashes, including 118 Houthi fighters and over 36 government troops.
• Houthi leader Abdel-Malik al-Houthi said the US is considering joint escalation with Saudi Arabia and warned Washington against intervening.
• The New York Times reported that Trump prepared air strikes against the Houthis on Sunday, calling them off at the last minute.
• The World Health Organization said 674 people have been killed and nearly 3,000 injured since August 6.
• Clashes continued in Lahij province's Kebhub highlands, where government troops, Giants Brigades, and tribal fighters repelled Houthi advance attempts.
• Yemeni government warplanes launched intense airstrikes on Houthi positions west of Taiz, destroying a camp and an ammunition depot.
• The death toll was revised upward to as many as 169 over three days of clashes and Saudi strikes on four provinces.