Houthi clashes kill Yemeni soldier as oil spill raises regional environmental alarm

Overnight battles in Yemen’s Taiz province resulted in the death of a government soldier and left another critically wounded as Iran-backed Houthi fighters engaged the national army. The hostilities are part of a broader surge of Houthi attacks on government-held territories, including artillery strikes in Marib and drone and missile assaults on Saudi oil facilities and Red Sea shipping lanes. A recent Houthi strike on a commercial ship in the Bab el-Mandeb strait killed six people, among them three Pakistanis, while Indonesia reported a missing national and two wounded.

In a separate development, Iran is working to clean up an oil spill that has coated the beaches of Qeshm Island after a bulk carrier was allegedly hit near Oman, prompting Iranian officials to call for compensation from those who profit from Hormuz traffic. Satellite images suggest the spill originated from the incident and is now drifting toward Iranian waters, endangering a marine protected zone near Qabiliyah Island. Environmental experts warn the spill could have lasting effects on regional marine ecosystems.