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    "headline": "Houthi offensive to seize Bab al-Mandab leaves 129 dead in Yemen's deadliest clashes in years",
    "dek": "Houthi offensive to control Bab al-Mandab strait killed 129 people in Yemen's deadliest clashes in years, sources told AFP.",
    "prose": "The death toll from the clashes reached 129 on Friday, according to an AFP tally compiled from several sources, up from an earlier count of 81. [^1]\n\nThe Houthis launched a ground assault with rocket and drone attacks on Thursday near coastal areas, aiming to seize control of the Bab al-Mandab strait at the Red Sea's southern entrance. [^2]\n\nKpler, a maritime data firm, reported on September 4, 2026 that confirmed crossings through the Strait of Hormuz fell to five on August 31, 2026, a 50% drop from ten a day earlier. [^3]\n\nA Yemeni military official, speaking anonymously, told AFP that 66 of his men had been killed in the clashes. [^4]\n\nMedical and military sources close to the Houthis said at least 62 militants had died in the clashes. [^5]\n\nAccording to Kpler, of the five Strait of Hormuz crossings on August 31, 2026, four vessels entered the Middle East Gulf and one exited, using a mix of Iranian, Omani, and negotiated routes. [^6]\n\nKpler reported that Bab el-Mandeb had 35 confirmed crossings on August 31, 2026, up 2.9% day-on-day, with 19 vessels entering the Red Sea and 16 exiting. [^7]\n\nKpler reported that two of the five Strait of Hormuz crossings on August 31, 2026 involved shadow vessels, and one involved a sanctioned vessel. [^8]",
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