War for Middle East don escalate as Yemen Houthi rebels fire missile for Israel for di first time since di conflict begin one month ago. Di Iran-backed group claim responsibility for di attack on Saturday, marking dia entry into di widening war wey don already involve multiple countries across di region.
Israeli military confirm say dem intercept di missile wey come from Yemen, and give all-clear to civilians wey dey shelter. Dis attack come as Iran continue to fire ballistic missiles and drones at Saudi Arabia‘s Prince Sultan air base on Friday, wounding at least 12 U.S. service members according to Associated Press and multiple news organizations. Some of di troops dey serious condition, and U.S. officials say some aircraft for di base suffer damage.
Di Prince Sultan air base wey dey outside Riyadh na shared facility between Saudi and U.S. forces. Iran release Chinese satellite photos wey dem claim show burning aircraft for di base after dia attack. Dem say one tanker wey dey refuel fighter jets for air don destroy and three others damage.
Since di war begin one month ago, Iran don target U.S. service members at bases throughout di region as retaliation for U.S. attacks. Pentagon put total U.S. casualty toll at 13 killed and more than 300 injured so far.
Houthi military spokesperson Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree say di group “affirm that our fingers are on the trigger for direct military intervention” if U.S. and Israeli allies enter di conflict, if Red Sea dey used for hostile operations against Iran, or if escalation against Iran and its allies continue. Di group control vast region of Yemen including capital Sanaa and Western Yemen.
Global shipping and oil markets don already dey in turmoil after Iran respond to American-Israeli attack by effectively closing Strait of Hormuz. International Energy Agency describe am as worst disruption for history of oil market. About one-fifth of world oil typically pass through di narrow waterway off Iran coast, but most ships don block from transiting am during di war.
Red Sea na vital corridor for global commerce, especially for trade between Europe and Asia. Around one-tenth of world seaborne oil shipments usually pass through Bab el-Mandeb Strait, narrow chokepoint just 16 miles wide separating Arabian Peninsula from Horn of Africa. Saudi Arabia don step up oil shipments via Red Sea route amid Hormuz disruption.
Houthis don significantly reduce traffic through Red Sea with repeated attacks on vessels during Israel-Hamas war. From November 2023 until January 2025, dem attack over 100 merchant vessels with missiles and drones, upending shipping for di waterway wey key for passage of goods through region.
Fawaz Gerges, professor of international relations at London School of Economics, tell NBC News say “American-Israeli war in Iran is really no longer a limited war. It’s all out regional conflict.” E add say “What I worry about is that it’s no longer just a military conflict, it’s now an economic war that involves the supply chains, the global energy system, its waterways.”
Israel also face attacks from other fronts. Israeli military say Iran fire missiles targeting di country overnight Friday into Saturday, with one attack kill one person and injure more across Israel. Sirens sound in northern Israel along border with Lebanon, where rocket and drone attacks from Hezbollah don constant during di war.
Israeli troops don move northward into Lebanon as attacks on Lebanon’s south and capital continue overnight. Israel say dem dey intensify dia assault and move thousands of troops northward across border into Lebanon to fight Hezbollah militants there. Israeli officials say dem go take territory up to Lebanon’s Litani River, 10 to 20 miles north of Israeli border.
Lebanese health officials say Israeli invasion don displace about one-fifth of country population, and kill more than 1,100 people. Thousands more dey flee, sleep for soccer stadium for southern Beirut. Israel don bomb highways, bridges, homes and gas stations.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio discuss di war with foreign ministers from leading European nations and Japan for France on Friday. Despite differences over di war, Group of Seven (G7) issue joint statement call for “immediate cessation of attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructures” and restoration of “safe and toll free freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.”
Rubio tell reporters Friday say “this is not going to be a prolonged conflict” and say di objectives fit achieve “without any ground troops.” Him remarks come as thousands of Marines and Army troops dey head to Middle East.
Trump administration claim progress in destroying Iran missiles and call am one of war objectives. But government no release figures. U.S. official wey speak on condition of anonymity tell NPR say U.S. only confirm elimination of around one-third of Iran missile capabilities.
Iran missile program consist of multiple elements: factories wey make di weapons, launchers wey fire dem, and di missiles themselves. Rubio say “We are going to basically destroy their ability to make missiles and drones in their factories. And we’re going to substantially — and I mean dramatically — reduce the number of missile launchers so that they cannot hide behind these things to build a nuclear weapon and threaten the world.”
U.S. military say Iranian missile attacks don drop dramatically since early days of di war. Still, di missiles, along with drones, remain Iran most effective weapons.
As war reach one-month mark, global economic impact dey worsen. S&P 500 close out im worst week since Iran war start and im fifth losing week for row. Crude oil prices rise again with no clear end for conflict. Investors fear say war go disrupt Persian Gulf energy industry for long time, setting off punishing wave of global inflation by keeping large amounts of oil and natural gas out of global markets.
Russia say dem tell UN say dem condemn attacks on all civilian infrastructure for Middle East. Russian U.N. Mission statement single out attack on elementary school for Iran wey kill more than 165 people. Russia urge council members focus on de-escalation, cessation of hostilities, and “political and diplomatic settlement” to di war.
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) say strike on Iran heavy water plant pose no radiation risk. Agency say for X say production plant at Khondab wey hit earlier Friday contain no declared nuclear material. IAEA also dey investigate damages caused by strike on Iran Shahid Rezayee Nejad Yellow Cake Production Facility for Yazd province.
Iran Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi vow “HEAVY price” for strikes on industrial sites. E say Israel strike two of im country largest steel factories, power plant and nuclear sites, among other infrastructure wey hit earlier for di day. E write for X say “Israel claims it acted in coordination with the U.S. Attack contradicts POTUS extended deadline for diplomacy. Iran will exact HEAVY price for Israeli crimes.”
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