Exclusive Senior Houthi official says Bab el Mandab closure an option if any Gulf states join war Houthi Deputy Information Minister Mohammed Mansour also said the strait could be closed “should the aggression against Iran and Lebanon escalate.” By Elizabeth Hagedorn In Washington, DC, reporting on diplomacy, regional politics, human rights
Analysis Alternative supply routes emerge as Iran war tests Gulf food security Roughly 61 million people in the Gulf rely on established food supply chains, many of which have been upended since the United States and Israel launched their attack against Iran on Feb. 28. By Jack Dutton In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech
Analysis In Saudi Arabia, Erdogan fosters security alignment, $30B trade push The Turkish president’s visit cemented Ankara and Riyadh’s accelerating convergence as regional crises mount and Gulf rivalries sharpen. By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Yemen’s Houthis hint at Red Sea attacks as US-Iran tensions rise: What to know The Houthi warnings come as a US aircraft carrier accompanied by several guided missile destroyers entered Gulf waters amid tensions with Iran. Iran
Houthi missiles latest threat to fragile Yemeni government Any incoming government in Yemen will need to stop the infighting in the south and address issues related to essential services, as well as be prepared to face a likely torrent of Houthi missiles. Yemen
Intel: Congress warned of fallout if Yemen's Houthis labeled terrorists A group of 29 aid agencies operating in Yemen warned congressional leaders that the Donald Trump administration's planned terror designation could hinder their live-saving work. Yemen
Hunger crisis in Yemen should be a ‘wake up call,’ UN warns The number of Yemenis experiencing “catastrophic food insecurity” could triple by the end of June 2021. Yemen
Yemen’s Houthis grant UN inspectors access to aging oil tanker Experts say the FSO Safer, a dilapidated vessel that contains more than a million barrels of light crude oil, is at risk of rupturing and spilling more oil than the Exxon Valdez. Yemen
Progressives divided over Biden’s expected pick for Pentagon chief Michele Flournoy's stated openness to curtailing offensive weapons sales to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates may have reduced opposition from progressive Democrats Saudi Arabia
Israel, Gulf rapprochement could worry Yemen, Iran Israel is concerned over growing Iranian entrenchment in Yemen, not unlike the way Iran operates in Syria. Legacy: Gulf
Aid groups in Yemen say Houthi terror designation would deepen crisis The Trump administration is weighing whether to designate the Iran-aligned rebel group as a foreign terrorist organization. Yemen
UN warns Yemen at risk of 'devastating famine' within months The looming famine comes as Yemen records its highest-yet rates of child malnutrition. Yemen
Intel: CENTCOM disputes watchdog report on Yemen civilian casualties The US military denied involvement in dozens of incidents in which civilians were reportedly killed. Yemen
Intel: Pentagon undercounting civilian casualties in Yemen, watchdog says At least 86 civilians have been killed in US operations in Yemen since 2017, according to a new report by Airwars, a UK-based nongovernmental organization. Yemen
Child malnutrition soars in parts of Yemen Rampant food insecurity comes as UN-led efforts in Yemen face serious funding shortfalls. Yemen
Houthi minister shot dead in Yemeni capital The sports minister for the Iran-backed Houthi administration was assassinated while in his car as the war with the Saudi-backed government rages on. Yemen