Yemen

• Yemen's Houthi rebels have launched a new wave of deadly attacks targeting Saudi-backed government troops, according to Yemeni state media. • Amidst the escalation, political figures including Cruz have argued that the Trump administration should pursue a strategy aimed at "regime collapse." • Separately, the U.S. Army announced on Friday that it is opening test ranges to private companies developing drones and missiles.

• Iran-backed Houthi rebels have claimed responsibility for deadly strikes targeting government military camps across two eastern provinces in Yemen. • The attacks signal an escalation in hostilities following a tenuous 2022 truce between the Houthis and the Saudi-led coalition. • This surge in violence is driven by persistent factional rivalries and Houthi efforts to breach a Saudi-led blockade that has worsened the regional humanitarian crisis.

• A new front of conflict is reopening in Yemen, driven by the broader regional war between the United States and Iran. • While neither Saudi Arabia nor the Houthi rebels currently desire prolonged hostilities, both risk being trapped in an escalatory spiral. • This development is critical because it threatens to destabilize the region further, making a peaceful exit strategy for the primary actors more difficult to achieve.

Yemeni sources say Saudi Arabia is preparing sea and possible land attack to break chokehold on oil exports through Red SeaSaudi Arabia is preparing for a major military offensive against the Houthis by sea and possibly by land in central Yemen, Yemeni sources believe, in a move to break the chokehold on its oil exports through the southern Red Sea.Saudi forces have been seen withdrawing from the east of Yemen in what could be preparation for a land offensive. At the same time, Riyadh is trying to organise a naval coalition to protect shipping from Houthi attacks in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab strait. Continue reading...

• A new war in Yemen is looming, with signs indicating a re-eruption of conflict is imminent. • Recent developments have strengthened anti-Houthi forces in the country, potentially altering the balance of power. • The Houthis have shifted from rhetoric and mobilization to military action, escalating tensions.

• The Southern movement in Yemen is currently facing a critical internal struggle, with internal divisions posing a greater threat to their goals than external opposition. • This political instability occurs against a backdrop of severe humanitarian suffering, characterized by widespread displacement and significant human rights violations. • The situation highlights the fragility of Southern aspirations as the movement struggles to maintain a unified front amidst a broader national conflict.

Conflict continues across the region as White House announces nuclear technology agreement. Plus, the artist who flattened a Tesla with a tankGood morning. The US has signed a landmark nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia that could allow the kingdom to enrich uranium in the future. The deal will be submitted to Congress for review, where it could face opposition among lawmakers who fear a lack of monitoring safeguards.In lengthy talks stretching over more than one administration, the US has feared that Riyadh would look elsewhere for nuclear technology if the US did not provide what it wanted. Saudi Arabia has long said that if it does not partner with the US, it could do so with China or Russia, which have different proliferation standards.Why is a uranium deal with Saudi Arabia controversial? The full details of the deal have yet to be released, but it comes as the US’s war with Iran is being fought in part to prevent Tehran enriching uranium domestically and make it near impossible for Iran to build a nuclear weapon. Saudi Arabia has in the past said it would need a nuclear weapon if Iran acquired one. Kenneth Roth has analysed why Trump would agree it right now.What are the latest developments in the war? The US military launched its 12th successive night of strikes, which have now widened to western and central Iran. In attacks lasting five hours, the US claims to have struck military targets including maritime capabilities, missile and ⁠drone storage facilities, coastal surveillance sites and air defense assets. Yemen’s ⁠Houthi militia also attacked two ​Saudi Arabian oil tankers, the Iran-aligned group said on Thursday, with a Saudi news agency later confirming one of the vessels was ablaze in the Red Sea. Continue reading...