Houthi missile strike kills 53 in Yemen as US Defense Secretary visits region

A Houthi ballistic missile strike on a Yemeni government military base in Shabwa province has killed at least 53 soldiers and injured more than 200 others on Tuesday, 20 October. The attack, which targeted the Martyr Ahmed al-Sulaimani Training Centre at Al-Alam camp, marks the deadliest single incident since the group resumed large-scale operations in July. US Defense Secretary makes unannounced visit Against the backdrop of escalating regional hostilities, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth arrived in the Middle East on an unannounced trip. Hegseth confirmed his presence via social media, citing a "historic mission" with US troops. The visit follows reports from Axios indicating the Secretary met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel, though the Pentagon has declined to provide official comment on the itinerary. At sea, Captain Nicholas DeLeo, commanding officer of the USS George Washington, confirmed that Iran has attempted to strike "a variety of ships" near the Strait of Hormuz. DeLeo stated that US Navy defensive and offensive measures have successfully intercepted all attempts to date. The Nimitz-class carrier is currently operating in the Arabian Sea to support a maritime blockade and defend commercial shipping lanes. Diplomatic friction in Tehran In Tehran, President Masoud Pezeshkian met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Monday to discuss regional security. Pezeshkian attributed the current instability to the presence of US military…