The US has vowed to keep striking Yemen’s Houthis until they stop attacks on shipping, as the Iran-aligned group signalled potential escalation following US airstrikes that reportedly killed at least 31 people.
The US launched a series of airstrikes on Yemen, targeting Houthi military sites in Sanaa and Taiz. The strikes, which the Houthi-run health ministry said killed 31 people, mark the largest US military operation in the Middle East since Donald Trump took office. A US official told Reuters the campaign could continue for weeks.
Houthi officials condemned the strikes as a "war crime" and vowed to respond. The group's military spokesperson claimed they had launched ballistic missiles and drones at the USS Harry S. Truman in the Red Sea, though the US denied the claim.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated: “The minute the Houthis say we'll stop shooting at your ships, we'll stop shooting at your drones. This campaign will be unrelenting until then.” He blamed Iran for supporting the Houthis, warning that “they better back off.”
The Houthis, who control large parts of Yemen, had previously threatened to target Israeli-linked ships in response to the Gaza conflict. They intensified attacks on Red Sea shipping after the Israel-Hamas war escalated in late 2023.
Iran’s top commander, Hossein Salami, dismissed US accusations, stating that the Houthis act independently. However, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio insisted Iran was responsible for supplying the group with military support.
Moscow urged Washington to halt the strikes, with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov calling for diplomatic dialogue. Meanwhile, reports emerged of civilian casualties, including women and children, though Reuters could not independently verify the claims.
US strikes also hit a power station in Dahyan, a site linked to Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi. Residents in Sanaa described the impact as "violent," with footage showing rescue operations and damaged buildings.
The Houthi attacks on shipping have disrupted global trade, forcing the US to engage in costly defensive operations. The group had paused its attacks following an Israel-Hamas ceasefire in January but resumed threats on March 12, linking their actions to aid restrictions on Gaza.
Global oil prices reached a four year high on Monday (9 March), surpassing $...
Global oil prices surpassed $119 a barrel on Monday (9 March, 2026), an almost four year high, as the Middle East conflict rumbled o...
Kyrgyzstan recorded the largest increase in women’s representation in parliament worldwide in 2025, accordin...
U.S. President Donald Trump and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer spoke by phone on Sunday as tensions between Washin...
Türkiye’s official anti-disinformation agency has issued a statement refuting what it described as onli...
Global oil prices reached a four year high on Monday (9 March), surpassing $119 a barrel, as conflict in the Middle East rumbled on. Meanwhile, the Turkish Military said NATO air defence systems destroyed a missile fired from Iran towards the country.
Global oil prices surpassed $119 a barrel on Monday (9 March, 2026), an almost four year high, as the Middle East conflict rumbled on.
China has urged Afghanistan and Pakistan to resolve their dispute through dialogue after Chinese envoy Yue Xiaoyong met Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, as fighting between the two neighbours entered its eleventh day.
Iranian civilian and military officials have pledged their obedience to the new leader, Ayatollah Seyed Mojtaba Khamenei, with President Masoud Pezeshkian saying his leadership “will herald a new era of dignity and authority for the Iranian nation.”.
Mojtaba Khamenei, son of the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, is a hardline cleric with strong backing from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. His rise signals continuity in Tehran's anti-Western policies.
Global oil prices surpassed $119 a barrel on Monday (9 March, 2026), an almost four year high, as the Middle East conflict rumbled on.
Trump says the United States "don’t need people that join wars after we’ve already won," targeting his criticism at UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Israel continues to fire missles at strategic sites in Iran and Gulf regions report more strikes from Iran.
Iran named Mojtaba Khamenei to succeed his father Ali Khamenei as supreme leader on Monday (9 March), signaling that hardliners remain firmly in charge, as the week-old U.S.-Israeli war with Iran pushed oil above $100 a barrel.
Entry and exit across the state border between Azerbaijan and Iran for all types of cargo vehicles, including those in transit, will resume on 9 March, according to a statement by the Cabinet of Ministers of Azerbaijan.
U.S. President Donald Trump and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer spoke by phone on Sunday as tensions between Washington and Westminster deepened over the conflict involving Iran. The call came less than a day after Trump criticised Britain’s response to U.S. strikes on Iranian targets.
Norwegian police are searching for a suspect after an explosion at the U.S. embassy in Oslo on 8 March caused minor damage but no injuries, in what authorities say may have been a deliberate attack linked to the Middle East crisis.
An explosion damaged a synagogue in the Belgian city of Liège early on Monday (9 March) in what authorities said was an antisemitic attack that caused damage but no injuries.
The Group of Seven (G7) finance ministers will meet on Monday to discuss a global rise in oil prices and a joint release of oil from emergency reserves coordinated by the International Energy Agency, the Financial Times reports.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 9th of March, covering the latest developments you need to know.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment