The offensive by the Houthi rebels - supported by Iran - along the coasts of Yemen further raises tension in the Middle East. Saudi Arabia is back under pressure with an attack on an arms depot. Kilometers away, the American president meanwhile finds himself having to manage requests and denials from regional players.
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War in Iran, the history of crises and conflicts in the Gulf from 1979 to today
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Oil prices rose sharply this morning on the raw materials markets: WTI for delivery in October changed hands at 102.73 dollars per barrel with an advance of 2.68% while Brent for delivery in November was traded at 107.32 dollars per barrel with a growth of 2.59%.
"Witkoff and Kushner did a great job. Look at Gaza, we freed all the hostages. People forget, but there isn't much fighting there. Hamas is ready to lay down its weapons. They did an amazing job." US President Donald Trump told reporters on board Air Force One.
US President Donald Trump commented on reports that Iran had received satellite images of the base in Jordan from Chinese sources before the attack that killed three American soldiers, telling reporters aboard Air Force One: "You know, when people say China spies on us, I say 'you're right,' and we spy on them too. That's what we do. In fact, they do what we do."
Egyptian authorities have rejected the Houthis' request to establish a direct communication channel with the Suez Canal Authority regarding safety and freedom of navigation in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and the Red Sea. This is what the Qatari newspaper Al-Araby Al-Jadeed reported. The president of the Suez Canal Authority, Osama Rabiee, categorically rejected the proposal, fearing that direct contacts could amount to formal recognition or international legitimization of the pro-Iranian Yemeni rebels, who have taken control of the Red Sea strait thanks to a vast offensive against the internationally recognized Yemeni government. Cairo's security services are holding informal contacts with relevant parties in Yemen in a bid to prevent further attacks on ships and ensure the flow of maritime trade, but without giving the Houthis diplomatic status, according to a senior Egyptian official.
Yemen's Houthis advance toward government-controlled strongholds of Marib and Taiz in southwestern Yemen. This was reported by the broadcaster Al Jazeera, underlining that "clashes with the rebels, supported by Tehran, are intensifying towards the areas controlled by the government supported by Saudi Arabia", along the coasts of Yemen. In particular, the fighters are targeting the strategic province of Marib, rich in oil and gas, and the city of Taiz, capital of the governorate of the same name. The Shiite group conquered three islands, thus consolidating the possibility of controlling the Strait of Bab el-Mandeb.
