**[Yemeni Government Forces and Houthi Militants Engage in Fierce Battles Near the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait]** Golden Finance reports that on September 18, according to Yemeni government forces and Houthi militant officials on the 17th, intense clashes have erupted over the past 24 hours near the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, as both sides vie for control of high ground overlooking this critical Middle Eastern waterway. An anonymous Yemeni government military official stated on the same day that since September 16, fierce fighting has continued in the Kahbub mountains and surrounding highlands in Yemen's southern Lahij province, with the Houthi militants launching a new offensive against government defensive positions. The official said: "The fighting has not stopped since last night. The Houthis are attempting to seize the high ground, while the government forces are holding their positions." At least 19 government soldiers have been killed and 15 injured, with the wounded transported to a military hospital in the southern Yemeni port city of Aden. A Houthi militant official, who also requested anonymity, confirmed on the same day that, as of now, the conflict between the Houthis and government forces near the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait remains in a stalemate, with several strategic high points changing hands multiple times. Neither side has achieved a decisive breakthrough. At least 25 Houthi militants have been killed, with several others injured. (Source: Xinhua News Agency)