Overview
- The Huthi militia stepped up a major ground and drone-and-rocket assault in the Marib province that killed government soldiers and at least two civilians, according to government and AFP reports which described the strikes on Friday.
- The group has increased attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea and near Saudi waters, using kamikaze drones and explosive boats that have forced many ships to detour and sharply reduced traffic through key routes.
- The UN Security Council publicly condemned the Huthi strikes on Saudi Arabia and merchant ships, and UN special envoy Hans Grundberg warned the risk of a larger regional war is higher now than since the 2022 truce.
- Tehran and Oman are negotiating a mechanism for passage through the Strait of Hormuz, but Iran’s published demand list ties reopening to major U.S. concessions while U.S. officials say they will lift a blockade only after a reliable, unimpeded system is in place.
- The fighting and maritime attacks threaten global oil flows and worsen Yemen’s humanitarian crisis because Huthi control of northern ports, Iran’s backing, and the use of asymmetric weapons raise the chance of wider regional involvement and further harm to civilians and aid delivery.