Yemen’s Houthis ready to join Iran in war against US, Israel; may target Bab al-Mandab Strait
Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi movement, whose attacks on the Red Sea caused international shipping and trade chaos during the Gaza war, stands ready to strike the key waterway again in solidarity with Tehran, one Houthi leader told Reuters, a move that would deepen a global oil and economic crisis brought on by the Middle East war.
If the Houthis open a new front in the conflict, one obvious target would be the Bab al-Mandab Strait off the coast of Yemen, a key shipping chokepoint and narrow passageway that controls sea traffic towards the Suez Canal after Iran effectively shut the critical Strait of Hormuz. Iran's Shi'ite allies in Lebanon and Iraq have joined the war in the region unleashed by U.S. and Israeli strikes on Tehran. But Yemen's Houthi rebels, heavily armed and capable of striking Gulf neighbours and causing major disruption to maritime navigation around the Arabian Peninsula, have not yet entered the fray.
"We stand fully militarily ready with all options. As for other details having to do with determining zero hour they are left to leadership and we are monitoring and following up with the developments and will know when is the suitable time to move," said the Houthi leader, who requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the topic.
"Until now Iran is doing well and is defeating the enemy every day and the battle is going in its direction. If anything contrary to this happens then we can assess."
Some diplomats and analysts say the Houthis are awaiting an opportune moment to enter the conflict, in coordination with Iran, in order to exert maximum pressure.
The effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz to Gulf Arab hydrocarbon exports and a shift to heavy reliance on the Red Sea might provide such an opportunity.
Iran could open a new front in the Bab al-Mandab Strait if attacks are carried out on Iranian territory or its islands, Iran's semi-official Tasnim cited an unnamed Iranian military source as saying on Wednesday.
The Houthis previously launched attacks in the region. Bab al-Mandab, or the Gate of Tears, named for its perilous navigation conditions, is the southern outlet of the Red Sea, situated between Yemen on the Arabian Peninsula and Djibouti and Eritrea on the African coast.
It is one of the world's most important routes for global seaborne commodity shipments, particularly crude oil and fuel from the Gulf bound for the Mediterranean via the Suez Canal or the SUMED pipeline on Egypt's Red Sea coast, as well as commodities bound for Asia, including Russian oil.
The Bab al-Mandab is 18 miles (29 km) wide at its narrowest point, limiting traffic to two channels for inbound and outbound shipments. After the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel led by Palestinian militant group Hamas, which triggered a devastating Israeli military campaign in Gaza, the Houthis began firing on international shipping in the Red Sea saying it was in support of the Palestinians.
The Houthis, a military, political and religious movement, ceased their attacks following a U.S.-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in October 2025.
“When they see Iran is needing them the most then they will move," Amr Al-Bidh, a member of Yemen's separatist Southern Transitional Council's senior leadership, told Reuters in Geneva.
Israel took Iran's Araqchi, Qalibaf off hit-list on Pakistan request, official says
Israel took Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araqchi and parliamentary speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf off its hit-list after Pakistan requested Washington not to target them, a Pakistani official told Reuters on Thursday.
"The Israelis had their ... coordinates and wanted to take them out, we told the US if they are also eliminated, then there is no one else to talk to, hence the U.S. asked the Israelis to back off," the official said.
The development shines further light on Islamabad’s emergence as a key player in the conflict that has gripped the world.
Using Pakistan as an intermediary, Washington has delivered to Iran a 15-point ceasefire proposal, which includes the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
India among five 'friendly nations' granted passage through Strait of Hormuz: Iran's foreign minister
Iran allowed India and a number of other "friendly nations" including China and Russia to use the Strait of Hormuz for commercial shipping, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi has said.
Global oil and gas prices have surged after Iran virtually blocked the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow shipping lane between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, that handles roughly 20 per cent of global oil and LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas).
West Asia has been a major source of India's energy procurement.
"We have permitted certain countries that we consider friendly to pass through (Strait of Hormuz). We allowed China, Russia, India, Iraq, and Pakistan to transit," Araghchi said, according to Iranian State TV.
At the same time, the Iranian foreign minister made it clear that ships linked to Iran's adversaries will not be allowed to transit through the strategic waterway.
"We are in a state of war. The region is a war zone, and there is no reason to allow the ships of our enemies and their allies to pass through. But it remains open to others," he said.
Referring to reported efforts by some third countries to act as intermediaries towards ending the conflict, he said: "No negotiations with the US are underway, he said elsewhere in the interview, adding that many foreign ministers from the region have contacted Tehran, but Iran's position has remained principled and firm", MEHR News Agency reported.
"International guarantees are not 100 per cent reliable," he added.
"Through the inherent guarantee that we created ourselves, no one will dare again to go to war with the Iranian people," he said.
There have been growing global concerns over disruptions in commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, with US President Donald Trump warning Iran of severe consequences if it does not fully reopen the waterway.
In the last couple of weeks, India has made diplomatic efforts focused on ending the conflict in West Asia as soon as possible and ensuring the unimpeded flow of energy through the Strait of Hormuz.
New Delhi thinks there could be serious ramifications for fuel and fertiliser security for many countries including India if the blockade of the shipping lane continues.
Iran permits Malaysian vessels to pass through Strait of Hormuz: PM Anwar Ibrahim
Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said on Thursday he had spoken to the leaders of Iran, Egypt, Turkey and other regional countries and said Malaysian vessels were now being allowed to pass through the Strait of Hormuz.
Anwar in a televised address thanked Iran's president for allowing the passage of Malaysian ships.
"We are now in the process of releasing the Malaysian oil tankers and the workers involved so that they may continue their journey home," he said.
Anwar said he talked with Iran and other countries as part of efforts to facilitate peace in the Middle East.
"But it is not easy, as Iran feels it has been deceived repeatedly and finds it difficult to accept steps toward peace without a clear and binding security guarantee for their nation," he said. Malaysia's government would maintain oil price subsidies but is taking steps to weaken the impact of supply disruptions, he said, including reductions in the monthly allocations of subsidised fuel.
"For us now, we are compelled to manage the situation because the effects of the blockade at the Strait of Hormuz, the war, and the halted supply of oil and gas all have an impact on us," he said.
Cyprus, Greece, Turkey sees rise in tourist cancellations, dive in new booking amid Iran conflict
The Iran conflict is causing a rise in tourist cancellations and a dive in new bookings in Cyprus and to a lesser extent other countries whose economies rely heavily on summer visitors.
The U.S. and Israel launched attacks on Iran on February 28, just as Cyprus's tourism industry was reopening after winter. Then on March 2, as Iran launched a series of counter-strikes, a drone struck a British naval base on the island, triggering a wave of tourist cancellations.
The drop in bookings is the latest sign of the war’s broad fallout, from disrupted oil flows to mass flight cancellations and worsening economic outlooks worldwide.
Daily cancellation rates for short-term rentals in Cyprus shot up from around 15% before the conflict to as high as 100% in the days after, according to data from U.S.-based AirDNA, which tracks such bookings. That figure has since dropped, but remained around 45% by March 21. Greece and Turkey saw slight rises in cancellation rates, too.
Cyprus' Hoteliers Association has seen a near 40% drop in March bookings and a similar reduction in April, the association's director-general, Christos Angelides told Reuters.
"Since March 1 … we have had a lot of cancellations coming through," said Nicholas Aristou, commercial director at Muskita Hotels in Limassol, which runs two luxury hotels.
He hopes that the slowdown does not continue into the summer months, when tourist visits typically pick up.
"We have to protect the high season months to make sure we can turn things around by the time May comes along, otherwise the destination will be in trouble."
The war is hitting Cyprus' growth expectations. This week, the Central Bank of Cyprus cut its 2026 economic growth forecast to 2.7% from 3.0%, based on an assumption that the conflict would last around two months. Budget airlines like EasyJet and Jet2 say demand for Cyprus and Turkey has waned and that demand has shifted to western Mediterranean destinations like Spain.
Savvas Orphanos, a souvenir shop owner in the central Ayios Andreas quarter of Limassol, sat alone among an array of pottery and fridge magnets. When Reuters visited, a downpour worsened an already slow period. "Unfortunately as you can see our area is empty of tourists," he said.
In Greece, where the economy runs on summer visitors, the impact is also being felt.
Aegean Airlines, the country's biggest carrier, has seen a double-digit drop in summer bookings from Israel and Gulf states to Greece since the start of the Iran conflict, a spokesperson said on Thursday. George Vernicos, secretary general of Greece's tourism confederation SETE, said that there has been a slowdown in pre-bookings, although that was partly offset by a rush to book flights before oil price rises impacted the cost of plane tickets. He said that there was a drop in demand from Greece's biggest markets in northern Europe and the United States.
"We are in a wait-and-see phase," he told Reuters. "There is a restraint but the year is still running positively, also because the momentum was quite high before the war began."
Two killed, three injured by debris from intercepted missiles in UAE: Report
At least two people were killed and three injured on Thursday when debris of missiles intercepted by the air defence system fell on a street in Abu Dhabi, local media reported.
UAE air defences are responding to incoming missile and drone threats from Iran at regular intervals, alerts posted by the Ministry of Defence of the United Arab Emirates on social media reveal.
"Abu Dhabi authorities have responded to an incident involving falling debris in Sweihan street, following the successful interception of a ballistic missile by air defence systems," Abu Dhabi Media Office reported.
"The incident resulted in the deaths of two unidentified individuals, three injuries, and damage to a number of cars. Further updates will be provided in due course," it added.
The total number of deaths has risen to 11 after the latest incident in Abu Dhabi, Gulf News reported.
Nine people killed earlier include three members of the armed forces. Six people of Pakistani, Nepali, Bangladeshi and Palestinian nationalities have also been killed till now, the Ministry of Defence of the United Arab Emirates said.
Earlier on Wednesday, the ministry had said: "Since the onset of the blatant Iranian aggression, UAE air defences have engaged 357 ballistic missiles, 15 cruise missiles and 1,815 UAVs."
A total of 166 people were also injured till Wednesday, with injuries ranging from minor to moderate and severe.
The injured included nationals of the UAE, Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, the Philippines, Pakistan, Iran, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Azerbaijan, Yemen, Uganda, Eritrea, Lebanon, Afghanistan, Bahrain, Comoros, Türkiye, Iraq, Nepal, Nigeria, Oman, Jordan, Palestine, Ghana, Indonesia, Sweden and Tunisia, it said.
The Ministry of Defence said that it is fully prepared and ready to deal with any threats, and will firmly confront any attempts to undermine State security in a manner that ensures the protection of its sovereignty, security and stability, and safeguards its national interests and capabilities.
Trump says Iranian negotiators 'better get serious soon'
Donald Trump said Iranian negotiators “better get serious soon, before it is too late,” and described them as “very different” and “strange.”
Land welfare will be 'more dangerous': Iranian Army Ground Forces commander
Iranian Army Ground Forces commander says land welfare will be 'more dangerous and costly for enemy', says report
Pentagon considers diverting Ukraine military aid to the Middle East: Report
The Pentagon is considering whether to divert weapons intended for Ukraine to the Middle East as the war in Iran depletes some of the U.S. military's most critical munitions, the Washington Post reported on Thursday, citing three people familiar with the matter.
Israel says it killed head of Iranian Revolutionary Guard's navy
Israel said Thursday it killed Commodore Alireza Tangsiri, the head of Iranian Revolutionary Guard's navy - the key official overseeing the closure of the strait.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said he had been killed along with other senior naval commanders in a strike overnight. Iran did not immediately acknowledge Tangsiri's killing.
Iran's parliament working on bill to impose fees on ships in Strait of Hormuz
Iran's parliament is working on a bill to formalise the fees it is reportedly charging on some ship transiting through the Strait of Hormuz, local media reported.
The Fars and Tasnim news agencies, both close to Iran's Revolutionary Guard, quoted lawmaker Mohammadreza Rezaei Kouchi as saying that "parliament is pursuing a plan to formally codify Iran's sovereignty, control and oversight over the Strait of Hormuz, while also creating a source of revenue through the collection of fees".
"This is entirely natural, just as goods pay transit fees when passing through other corridors, the Strait of Hormuz is also a corridor," he reportedly said.
"We provide its security, and it is natural that ships and oil tankers should pay such fees."
The Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf, is considered an international waterway open to all shipping.
Imposing fees would end that and likely be strongly opposed by the Gulf Arab states, the United States and others.
Israel reports incoming missiles from Iran: Report
Israel’s army says it has detected a wave of missiles from Iran heading towards the country, the second salvo in less than 30 minutes, reports Al Jazeera.
Sirens sound in central Israel
Sirens sounded about an hour after sunrise across a large swath of central Israel, including areas around Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, and in the occupied West Bank, reported AP.
Israel's military said early Thursday morning that Iran had launched missiles toward the country.
The first such alert of the day came after an unusually long lull of more than 14 hours.
Hezbollah rocket fire, however, remained constant overnight in northern Israel, and once reached the Tel Aviv area overnight.
US hits over 10,000 targets in Iran war, including two-thirds of munition plants
US forces have hit more than 10,000 targets so far in the Iran war, the head of the American military's Central Command said.
US Navy Adm. Brad Cooper made the comments in a video released early Thursday by Central Command.
"If you combine what we've accomplished with the success of our Israeli ally, together, we have struck thousands more," Cooper said. "Our precision strikes have overwhelmed Iranian air defences and our combat flights are having tangible effects."
Cooper added that the US has destroyed 92 per cent of "the Iranian navy's largest vessels."
"They've now lost the ability to meaningly project naval power and influence around the region and around the world," Cooper said.
Iran maintains its chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf, through drone and missile attacks on shipping, however.
Cooper also said the US has struck over two-thirds of Iran's munitions plants.
"Today, we have damaged or destroyed over two-thirds of Iran's missile, drone and naval production facilities and shipyards - and we're not done yet," he said. "We are on a path to completely eliminate Iran's wider military manufacturing apparatus."
Satellite photos analysed by The Associated Press, though delayed by two weeks by Planet Labs PBC, have shown Israeli and US strikes targeting shipyards and missile facilities.
Iran has not acknowledged any of its materiel losses through the war.
Trump insists Iran is still negotiating
Speaking at a fundraiser for Republicans in Washington, DC, Trump said Iran is still interested in cutting a deal.
"They are negotiating, by the way, and they want to make a deal so badly, but they're afraid to say it because they figure they'll be killed by their own people," Trump said of Iran's leaders.
The president added: "They're also afraid they'll be killed by us," before quipping that no one wanted to lead Iran for fear of being assassinated by the United States.
Sirens sound in parts of Tel Aviv and cities in central Israel
There was no advance warning, as has been customary from Iranian missile salvos, suggesting this was rocket fire from Hezbollah in Lebanon, which has pounded northern Israel constantly throughout this war but rarely reached deeper into the country.
Israel's emergency services said they had received no reports of casualties in the incident early Thursday morning.
Six people arrested in plot to kill Kuwait leaders, Ministry of Interior says
Kuwait's Ministry of Interior says the six people were allegedly linked to the Iran-backed Hezbollah group and were arrested for planning to carry out assassinations of leaders in the Gulf state.
The ministry said in a statement that five of those arrested are Kuwaiti citizens. It added that it identified 14 more members of the group who had fled the country: five Kuwaitis, five Kuwaitis whose nationalities have been revoked, two Iranians and two Lebanese.
The arrested members confessed to espionage and to joining a terror group, the statement said, and have been referred to the public prosecutor.
At Pentagon Christian service, Hegseth prays for violence against those who 'deserve no mercy'
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, hosting his first monthly Christian worship service at the Pentagon since the Iran war began, prayed Wednesday to have "every round find its mark".
Hegseth frequently invokes his evangelical faith as head of the armed forces, depicting a Christian nation trying to vanquish its foes with military might.
"Let every round find its mark against the enemies of righteousness and our great nation," Hegseth prayed during the livestreamed service. "Give them wisdom in every decision, endurance for the trial ahead, unbreakable unity, and overwhelming violence of action against those who deserve no mercy."
Trump's potential troop deployment is getting pushback on Capitol Hill
At least one Republican lawmaker is making it clear she does not support putting US service members on the ground in Iran following a closed-door briefing with lawmakers overseeing the military.
Republican Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina posted on social media that she would "not support troops on the ground in Iran, even more so after this briefing".
While few other Republicans have taken that stance, the GOP chairs of the committees overseeing the military expressed some frustration that they are not receiving enough information about plans as the war enters a potential escalation.
"I am more fearful than ever that we're on a path to put troops on the ground in Iran," said Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal, adding that "None of the president's objectives can be accomplished without a physical presence there."
Iran's foreign minister says his govt does not plan any negotiations to end the war
In an interview with Iranian state TV late Wednesday, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also said that no talks with the United States have taken place.
"No negotiations have happened with the enemy until now, and we do not plan on any negotiations," he said.
Attacks by both Iran and its allied groups must stop, Arab countries say
While most of their previous statements focused primarily on drone and missile fire from Iran, Wednesday's statement by five Gulf nations and Jordan also condemned Iranian attacks "whether carried out directly or through their proxies and armed factions they support in the region".
In a joint statement, they also urged Iraq to stop militias from launching attacks from its territory and reaffirmed their right to self-defense. The Gulf countries on the statement were Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain.
