The Houthi militant group said that it had targeted a Saudi oil tanker with missiles; it is the fourth oil tanker to be attacked since the militia said it would blockade shipping to and from Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea (NYT).
Red Sea Shipping Reaches Lowest Level in Months
Ship traffic through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait reached its lowest level in months following Houthi attacks on Saudi oil tankers along the Red Sea coast (Reuters).
Houthis Attack Two Saudi Oil Tankers in Red Sea
Houthi rebels said they targeted two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea with missiles and drones after threatening to shut down the key trade route, potentially widening the war in Iran (AP)
After the attacks, oil prices hit $100 a barrel for the first time since May (NYT)
Houthis Announce Naval Blockade on Saudi Arabia
The Houthis announced a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia in response to an attack on Sanaa International Airport last week (AP)
The move opens a new front in the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran and will worsen the massive cut to global oil flows caused by the war in the Gulf (Reuters)
Houthis Launch Strikes Against Saudi Arabia in Response to Sanaa Airport Attack
Houthi forces fired missiles and drones at Saudi Arabia’s Abha International Airport after accusing the kingdom of bombing Sanaa International Airport, breaking a four-year truce in the conflict between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis (AP)
Yemen’s internationally recognized government claimed responsibility for the bombing of the Sanaa airport, saying that it was a measure to prevent an Iranian plane from landing in Yemen’s Houthi-controlled capital (Al Jazeera)
Houthis Kill Sixteen Government Troops
Houthi rebels killed sixteen troops in an attack on government-aligned forces in some of the most violent fighting seen between the sides in years; separately, a cargo ship came under attack off the coast of Yemen in the Red Sea, the British military said (AP)
Houthis Threaten Saudi Targets Over Iranian Flight to Yemen
The Houthis said their forces confronted Saudi “warplanes” that they said attempted to prevent an Iranian civilian aircraft from landing at Sanaa International Airport, according to the group’s military spokesman (Reuters)
Yemeni Journalist Killed in Car Bombing
Mohamed Eida, a correspondent for the Saudi-backed television networks Al-Arabiya and Al-Hadath, was killed in a car bombing in southeastern Yemen; no group has claimed responsibility (AP)
Houthi Court Sentences Nineteen People to Death
A Houthi-controlled court in Yemen sentenced nineteen people to death after they were convicted of providing support to the Saudi-led coalition and carrying out attacks against Houthi-manned checkpoints and security facilities (AP)
Yemen Government and Houthis Swap 1,600 Prisoners
After fourteen weeks of negotiations, Yemen’s internationally recognized government and the Houthis agreed to free more than 1,600 detainees in the largest prisoner swap of the eleven-year civil war (AP)
Iran Threatens to Shut Down Red Sea Shipping if U.S. Blockade Continues
Iran’s joint military command warned that if a U.S. blockade disrupts Iranian commercial and oil vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, Tehran will halt all shipping traffic across the Persian Gulf, the Sea of Oman, and the Red Sea (NYT)
Houthi Leader Praises Iran Ceasefire and Claims Red Sea Deterrence
Abdul Malik al-Houthi described the U.S.-Iran ceasefire as a “big victory” for Tehran, claiming Iran was able to “defeat the enemy” and praising Hezbollah for its role in Lebanon; he also said Houthi forces deterred U.S. and Israeli use of the Red Sea and confirmed launching strikes against Israel (Times of Israel)
Houthis Claim Drone and Missile Attack on Southern Israel
The Iran-backed Houthis claimed responsibility for launching a barrage of cruise missiles and drones targeting military and vital sites in Israel’s southern city of Eilat (Times of Israel)
Ballistic Missile From Yemen Launched Towards Israel
Israel stated that a ballistic missile from Yemen was launched towards the country; the missile triggered sirens across Tel Aviv (AP)
Houthis Warn Against Gulf States Joining U.S.-Israeli Strikes
The Houthis threatened to close the Bab el-Mandeb Strait if the Gulf joined the U.S. and Israel in striking Iran (Times of Israel)
Houthis Fire Ballistic Missile at Israel
The Israel Defense Forces reported intercepting a ballistic missile in southern Israel fired by the Iran-backed Houthis; no injuries were reported (Times of Israel)
Iran Reportedly Pushing Houthis Toward Red Sea Attacks
According to European sources familiar with the matter, Iran is pressing the Houthis to prepare for renewed attacks on Red Sea shipping if the United States escalates its conflict with Iran, though divisions within the militant group’s leadership have so far restrained more aggressive action; a potential American move on Iran’s Kharg Island oil hub could tip the balance, which would further destabilize global energy markets already rattled by Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz (Bloomberg)
Houthis Warn of Direct Military Intervention if Three Key Red Lines Are Crossed
The Iran-backed Houthi movement issued a warning that they will intervene militarily in the Iran war if any of three conditions are met: regional countries ally with the United States and Israel against Iran, the Red Sea is used to conduct hostile operations against Iran or other Muslim nations, or escalation against Iran and the “Axis of Resistance” continues; the warning comes amid already-heightened tensions in the Bab al-Mandeb strait, a chokepoint handling 10 percent of global seaborne trade, where the Houthis have previously fired anti-ship missiles at U.S. Navy vessels (The Hill)
Supertankers Reroute to Saudi Red Sea Port as Hormuz Traffic Halts
As Iranian strikes bring traffic in the Strait of Hormuz to a near standstill, approximately thirty supertankers are rerouting to Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea port of Yanbu, exceeding the usual two per month; however, the alternate route requires passing through the Bab al-Mandab strait, where Houthi militants have struck ships in recent years and Iranian missiles remain in range, making it a risky but unavoidable alternative according to freight specialists (FT)
Shipping Vessels Divert Routes After U.S.-Israel Strikes on Iran
Shipping companies, including Maersk, Hapag-Lloyd, and CMA CGM, have rerouted vessels away from the Suez Canal and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, citing escalating military conflict as the United States and Israel conducted strikes on Iran (Reuters)
Warning Shots Fired Near Aden Vessel Incident
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations reported that an incident southwest of Aden was downgraded to suspicious activity after warning shots deterred approaching vessels; a skiff carrying five people—accompanied by two additional skiffs—approached a ship approximately seventy nautical miles southwest of the Yemeni port before warning shots were fired (Reuters)
UN to Resume Aid Flights to Sanaa
The United Nations announced that aid flights to Houthi-controlled Sanaa will resume this month to allow supplies to reach millions in need amid a worsening humanitarian crisis (Reuters)
U.S. Destroyer and Israeli Navy Conduct Maritime Exercise in Red Sea
U.S. Naval Forces Central Command announced that missile destroyer USS Delbert D. Black conducted a “routine maritime exercise” with the Israeli Navy in the Red Sea (Times of Israel)
Houthis Remove UN Assets and Equipment
The United Nations reported that Houthi rebels in Yemen moved UN equipment and assets to an undisclosed location without explanation; the move will likely limit humanitarian assistance in Houthi-controlled areas (AP)
Iran-Backed Militias Threaten Red Sea Attacks
Iran-backed militias in Yemen and Iraq, including the Houthis and Kataib Hezbollah, warned they could resume Red Sea shipping attacks as a U.S. Navy carrier approaches the region amid rising tensions with Iran (AP)