Fighting in Taiz and Lahj near Bab al-Mandab kills more than 100

Airstrikes and clashes in districts overlooking the Bab al-Mandab strait in southwestern Yemen have left more than 100 people dead within hours, according to field sources cited by Sky News Arabia.

The area between Taiz and Lahj provinces is witnessing an escalation in confrontations, amid pressure from Houthi forces on positions belonging to government forces in the region.

Escalation near a strategic passage

The site of the clashes carries particular significance given its proximity to Bab al-Mandab, one of the world's most important shipping lanes, making any military escalation in its vicinity subject to regional and international attention.

Further details on the number of wounded or on the specific parties involved in the confrontations have not yet been made available, and no official comments have so far been issued by the parties concerned regarding the reported death toll.

These developments come amid ongoing intermittent confrontations between Yemeni government forces and Houthi forces on several fronts in the southwest of the country.