Yemen - AL-MONITOR: The Middle Eastʼs leading independent news source since 2012

Yemen cover image

Yemen

June 6, 2026

Sanaa 5:40 pm

27°C

Members of Houthi security forces stand guard while supporters of Yemen's Houthi movement attend an event commemorating the ninth anniversary of the Saudi-led intervention in their country, in the capital, Sanaa, on March 26, 2026.

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.”

Elizabeth Hagedorn

By Elizabeth Hagedorn

In Washington, DC, reporting on diplomacy, regional politics, human rights

Saudis shop for fresh products at a market in Riyadh on Feb. 18, 2026, on the first day of the holy fasting month of Ramadan in Saudi Arabia.

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.

In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech

Riyadh

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.

Ezgi Akin

In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO

Galaxy Leader

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.

Latest News

Thousands rally for South Yemen independence amid Saudi diplomatic push

AFP via Getty Images

Egypt's economy can weather more Red Sea attacks, says finance minister

Ships sail along Egypt's Suez Canal near Ismailia on April 16, 2025.

From Egypt to Lebanon: What’s at stake for regional states on Trump’s visa ban list?

From Iraq to Yemen, how Iran proxies are responding to protests

Iranians gather while blocking a street during a protest in Tehran, Iran, on Jan. 9, 2026.

Houthi ships

Two oil tankers come under attack in the Red Sea, sources say

Oil tankers transiting the Red Sea are facing renewed dangers while transiting one of the world's most critical chokepoints for crude.

Aspides

Houthis allow Greek tanker ablaze in Red Sea to be towed to safety

The Iran-backed rebels said they were responding to concerns by the European Union that the tanker endangered maritime and environmental safety in the Red Sea.

Footage of greek vessel

EU warns Greek tanker ablaze in Red Sea poses maritime, environmental risks

The MV Sounion was carrying 150,000 tons of crude oil from the southern Iraqi port of Basrah when it was attacked by Yemen's Houthi rebels.

Debris litters a loading dock a day after Israeli strikes on the port of Yemen's Houthi-held city of Hodeida on July 21, 2024.

Analysis

Israel’s Yemen attack against Houthis warning to nuclear Iran

While concerns grow in Israel over the continued drone and missile attacks by the Houthis in Yemen, the real threat remains that of Iran.

In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense

Members of Yemen's security forces stand guard as as Shiite Muslims listen to a speech by Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Huthi broadcast on a giant screen during a ceremony commemorating Ashura, July 16, 2024.

Analysis

Is Houthi expansion in Iraq a genuine threat or smoke screen?

Iraq's relations with Saudi Arabia are called into question as the Houthis seek to expand their influence in the region.

Francesco Schiavi

By Francesco Schiavi

In Bologna, reporting on security, defense, economy, governance

A handout picture obtained from Yemen's Huthi Ansarullah Media Center show a huge column of fire erupting following reported strikes in the Yemeni rebel-held port city of Hodeida opn July 20, 2024.

Israel strikes Houthi targets in Yemen one day after Tel Aviv drone attack

The Israeli military confirmed that it had carried out airstrikes against Houthi-linked targets in Yemen, saying it was in retaliation for some 200 drone and cruise missile attacks towards Israel from Yemen since Oct. 7.

An Israeli policeman makes a phone call on the scene where an explosion took place in Tel Aviv on July 19, 2024.

Iran applauds Houthis for Israel attack, yet keeps distance to avoid blame

During the course of the Israeli war on Gaza, Iran has walked a fine line of praising attacks by its proxies while carefully attempting to dodge a direct confrontation with Israel.

A man looks at a building damaged by a drone explosion that Houthis rebels in Yemen claimed responsibility for, Tel Aviv, July 19, 2024.

Analysis

Houthi drone attack exposes Israel’s vulnerability

As the military investigates the episode, an Israeli security official warns that Hamas "has not said its final word" despite receiving the "worst blow" in its history.

In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense

A welcoming sign is placed on the shore of the Suez Canal in the northeastern Egyptian city of Ismailiya, May 27, 2021.

Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping wipe $2B off Suez Canal annual revenue

The Suez Canal Authority said revenue for fiscal year 2023/24 fell to $7.2 billion, down from $9.4 billion the preceding year.

The frigate HDMS Iver Huitfeldt (F361) of the Royal Danish Navy arrives at the Naval Base in Korsoer, Denmark on April 4, 2024. Since February 2024, the Danish frigate Iver Huitfeldt has been deployed in the Red Sea as part of the US-led international naval coalition 'Operation Prosperity Guardian'. The coalition's task is to protect civilian shipping against attacks from the Houthi movement in Yemen. (Photo by Ida Marie Odgaard / Ritzau Scanpix / AFP) / Denmark OUT (Photo by IDA MARIE ODGAARD/Ritzau Scanpi

Analysis

As Gulf maritime threats persist, can EU's naval mission deter Houthis?

The European Union Naval Force mission and accomplishments reinforce commitment to becoming a significant maritime security provider. However, the absence of a clear strategy to effectively mitigate the escalating threat from Houthi rebels casts a shadow over the potential restoration of stability in the region.

Francesco Schiavi

By Francesco Schiavi

In Bologna, reporting on security, defense, economy, governance

This picture taken on March 7, 2024, shows the Rubymar cargo ship partly submerged off the coast of Yemen.

As Houthis sink second vessel, shipping industry calls for Red Sea protection

A shipping salvage firm confirmed on Wednesday that the M/V Tutor, a Greek-owned, Liberian-flagged bulk carrier, had sunk after being hit by two Houthi cruise missiles on June 12. The attack killed one crew member from the Philippines.

Houthi soldiers stand guard on a missile carrier during an official military parade marking the ninth anniversary of the Houthi takeover of the capital, Sanaa, on Sept. 21, 2023.

Suppliers of weapons parts for Yemen's Houthis hit with US sanctions

The latest US sanctions come as the Yemeni militants intensify their attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.