USA warns foreign financial institutions against doing business with Iran

Eva Glaser

USA warns foreign financial institutions against doing business with Iran

The U.S. Treasury Department says it will warn foreign financial institutions that continue to do business with Iran or its financial sector that they could be subject to sanctions without prior notice from Washington. “Foreign financial institutions that continue to conduct transactions with sanctioned Iranian financial institutions could be targeted at any time without notice and should take immediate action to end such activities and relationships,” the Treasury Department states in its warning.

Julius Stockheim

Merz “cautiously optimistic” after retaking Bab al-Mandab

Chancellor Friedrich Merz has expressed cautious optimism that the situation in the Red Sea could ease. The Yemeni government troops, supported by the Saudi Arabian military alliance, said they had previously taken control of the strategically important Bab al-Mandab strait.

This is “perhaps a reason for cautious optimism, but it is nothing more,” says Merz. Above all, the Strait of Hormuz must be permanently reopened, even without tariffs being levied there. “We are doing everything, including the German federal government, the foreign minister and defense minister, to end this conflict as quickly as possible, because we are also feeling the effects massively in energy prices.”

Julius Stockheim

Israel kills key Hamas commander in Gaza

Almost exactly three years after the Hamas massacre in Israel on October 7, 2023, the armed forces say they killed a Hamas commander in the Gaza Strip. The Hamas fighter was a commander of the Nukhba unit who entered Israel on October 7, the Israeli military said on Platform X. The Nukhba Unit is an elite commando in Hamas's military wing and is said to have led the attack in Israel.

The commander, now killed in Gaza, had prepared attacks on Israeli civilians and soldiers and worked to restore Hamas' capabilities, the military said. This is a violation of the ceasefire.

Eva Glaser

Houthi rebels warn against flights over Saudi Arabia

Yemen's Houthi rebels have warned airlines against using Saudi Arabian airspace. Houthi-affiliated media reported this against the backdrop of a major offensive by government troops against the militia allied with Iran, supported by Saudi Arabia. The Kingdom's airspace is not safe as long as the Saudi Arabian "aggression" continues, according to the Houthis-controlled Maritime Coordination Authority.

Julius Stockheim

Insider: Government troops in Yemen are pushing ahead with the offensive against the Houthis

With massive military support from Saudi Arabia, Yemeni government troops are pushing ahead with their offensive against the Houthi rebels. They attacked the Iran-allied militia on Monday from three fronts in the north, west and south and took strategically important positions on the Bab al-Mandab Strait, the Reuters news agency learned from military sources.

The armed forces also said they began a “strategic offensive” on the capital Sanaa, which was captured by the Houthis in 2014. There was initially no current statement from the rebels after media they controlled had previously denied advances by government troops in the Bab al-Mandab area.

Julius Stockheim

Saudi military alliance attacks Houthi targets in Yemen

A Saudi-led military alliance says it has begun airstrikes on the Iran-backed Houthi militia in Yemen. The attacks targeted Houthi targets along the Red Sea coast, the coalition said on Monday. Shortly before, the militia had announced that it had taken over additional territory in southwest Yemen and taken control of a city.

Saudi-led coalition spokesman Turki al-Maliki said 100 warplanes were supporting the forces of the internationally recognized Yemeni government in the fight against the Houthis. The coalition ensured air cover for the strategically important Bab al-Mandab Strait and hit hundreds of Houthi targets as part of the ongoing offensive. The information about the offensive and its details could not be independently verified.

Julius Stockheim

Houthi militia in Yemen advances on provincial capital Tais

In the renewed civil war in Yemen, a bitter battle is looming for the strategically important provincial capital of Tais. After the Iran-backed Houthi militia captured Turba on the key route between the port city of Aden and Tais on Sunday, its fighters continued to advance on Monday. They are likely to face strong resistance after the government announced a major offensive against the Houthis with the support of a military alliance led by Saudi Arabia.

The alliance spokesman said it would support the fight against the militia until the Houthis were eliminated. The Houthis had previously taken control of several places around Tais. With the latest advance, they could surround the country's third largest city and also hinder the supply routes of government troops, according to the think tank Institute for the Study of War.

Luke Bay

Saudi Arabia's east-west pipeline appears to be running normally

Saudi Arabia's east-west oil pipeline is operating normally, according to people familiar with the matter. This is reported by the financial news agency Bloomberg. There had previously been reports of a possible further attack on the pipeline.

Oil continues to flow through the line, the informants told Bloomberg. There was initially no independent confirmation of reports of an attack or further details about the incident.

Laura Thalmeyer

Yemen: Government troops attack Houthi positions at Bab al-Mandab Strait

In Yemen, government troops have attacked Houthi rebel positions in the Dhubab district near the strategically important Bab al-Mandab Strait. This was reported by two military representatives. The internationally recognized government backed by neighboring Saudi Arabia launched an offensive on Sunday to recapture areas controlled by the Iran-aligned Houthis. The Giants Brigades, which are close to the government troops, say that the first units have advanced into the region around Bab al-Mandab.

The Houthi militia had recently won territory and took control of Bab al-Mandab in September. The strait is the southern entrance to the Red Sea and therefore a crucial route connecting the Mediterranean to Asia via the Suez Canal. Since the Iranian blockade of the Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf, it has also become more important for oil exports from Saudi Arabia.

Laura Thalmeyer

Tanker reports explosions near Bab al-Mandab Strait

The British military says a tanker has reported explosions “in the immediate vicinity” of the Bab al-Mandab Strait off the coast of Yemen. The British Maritime Trade Authority (UKMTO) announced that the crew was reportedly safe. Authorities were investigating the explosions, which occurred about 60 nautical miles south of the Yemeni port city of Mocha. The name of the tanker was not disclosed.

The Joint Maritime Information Center (JMIC), which is overseen by the US Navy, considers the threat situation in the region to be significant. The background is that the Iran-backed Houthi rebels occupied land near the strait in September. The rebels say they are targeting ships linked to Saudi Arabia.

Sarah Sendner

After arrests at British base: USA withdraws B-1 bombers for security reasons

The USA says it has withdrawn its twelve B-1 bombers from the British air base RAF Fairford. This came a week after the arrest of several men suspected of having prepared terrorist attacks there, a US Department of Defense representative said on Sunday (local time). A Pentagon spokesman said in an email that for operational security reasons the move could not be confirmed in real time. However, it is now clear that all US bombers stationed at the base northwest of London have returned to their home bases in the USA. The Wall Street Journal newspaper had previously reported on the withdrawal due to security concerns.

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said on Wednesday that there were “strong signs” that Iran was involved in the alleged attack plans. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also referred to the “hands of a foreign actor”. The government in Tehran rejected the allegations as unfounded and summoned the British ambassador. The Iranian embassy in London had previously condemned such speculation as propaganda. The British government had allowed the USA to use the bombers to attack Iranian missile sites from which ships in the Strait of Hormuz had been attacked. The Iranian Revolutionary Guards therefore described the base as a legitimate target in July.

Bastian Prockner

State media: Iran's oil minister resigns for personal reasons

Iranian Oil Minister Mohsen Pakneshad has resigned for personal reasons, according to state media reports. The head of the state oil company, Hamid Bovard, will be acting minister, it was said on Sunday.

Pakneshadad has been at the head of the OPEC country's oil ministry since August 2024. The war between the USA and Iran, which has been going on for seven months, is putting a heavy strain on its economy. A spokesman for the presidential office said on state television that Paknejad had submitted his resignation a long time ago. President Masud Peseschkian has now accepted this request.

Julius Stockheim

Yemen's government announces major offensive against Houthi militia

Yemen's internationally recognized government begins a major military operation against the Houthi militia. According to Rashad al-Alimi, member of the Presidential Leadership Council, the planned operations cover all active front lines in the country. The aim of the offensive is to recapture all regions that are currently under militia control. His announcement was broadcast by the pro-government television station Yemen TV.

Al-Alimi said he had ordered the army, security agencies and all military formations to begin carrying out their missions "until the country is freed from the grip of the Houthi militia." He accused the Iran-backed Houthis of responding to de-escalation efforts with further mobilization and escalation while escalating their attacks and threats against civilians, national facilities, neighboring countries and global shipping lanes.

Julius Stockheim

Houthi rebels report night attacks on Sanaa

Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen have reported hostile attacks on the capital Sanaa. The attacks took place around midnight, the Houthi media office said on Sunday. It gave no details and blamed Saudi Arabia for the attack. The Houthis did not provide any evidence.

Saudi Arabia did not comment. The Yemeni government's military, which is supported by Saudi Arabia, claimed responsibility for the attacks. His spokesman, Majed al-Nasili, said the forces had attacked "important targets" in Sanaa and in Saada province, near the border with Saudi Arabia.

Julius Stockheim

Iran wants to increase the range of its missiles

Iran wants to increase the range of its missiles. American forces are now positioned up to 1,000 km from the Iranian coast, army spokesman Mohammed Akraminia told the Fars news agency. “During this war we came to the conclusion that we absolutely needed to increase the range of our missiles, and we have now taken steps in that direction,” he says.

This radius covers the main geopolitical hotspots of the Middle East, the Gulf region, the Caucasus and parts of Central Asia. All US military bases in the Gulf area are within this distance. All of eastern and central Turkey lies within the radius, including NATO base Incirlik.

Julius Stockheim

Hospital reports one death after Israeli attack in Gaza Strip

According to Palestinian reports, one person was killed in an Israeli attack on a civilian vehicle in the Gaza Strip. The attack on Sunday morning injured at least eleven other people, said the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, where the victims were taken. The Israeli military said it targeted a known fighter from the militant Islamist Palestinian organization Hamas in the attack.

Palestinians in the Gaza Strip report that Israel has been shelling targets throughout the area more frequently and carrying out more air strikes for the past month. Israel says it is attacking Hamas militants and other extremists who pose a threat. It also responds to ceasefire violations, including isolated attacks.

Julius Stockheim

Tanker shelled in the Strait of Hormuz

According to the British shipping authority UKMTO, a tanker was hit by an unknown missile in the Strait of Hormuz. The authority announced on Sunday that the ship's engine room was damaged. The crew was safe and no environmental damage was reported. The UKMTO did not disclose the time of the incident.

Anna Kipnis

Iran: Reopen Hormuz only when conditions are met

Iran does not want to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which is important for oil transport, until seven conditions from an interim agreement with the USA in June are met. This is what Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baker Kalibaf said on Sunday, according to the state-affiliated news agency Nournews: "The Americans, who claim otherwise in the media, have recently made proposals through an intermediary. But they must understand that the time when they dragged out the process and dictated one-sided demands is over," Kalibaf was quoted as saying.

The Strait of Hormuz will not open until our seven conditions based on the Islamabad Memorandum are met. Iran's Pa