Houthis expand Red Sea blockade amid diplomatic negotiations pause
Houthis announce Red Sea blockade of Saudi ports, escalating maritime disruptions amid diplomatic talks.
Event / Conflict
Diplomatic negotiations between the United States and Iran covering military tensions, nuclear matters, and regional maritime access including the Strait of Hormuz.
2026-08-15 to 2026-11-12 · UTC publication dates
Coverage begins 19 Jul, 02:29 UTC
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Iran claimed to have launched retaliatory strikes against U.S. military installations in Bahrain, Jordan, and Kuwait. This was stated as Iran's response to ongoing U.S. bombing operations. However, the U.S. military did not announce any strikes on Iran during the night of Friday to Saturday, marking the first two-week pause in operations.
Yemeni Houthis, allies of Iran, announced a blockade in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden targeting Saudi Arabian shipping vessels. Saudi Arabia is the world's largest crude oil exporter, making this blockade strategically significant for global hydrocarbon trade.
Houthis claimed to have fired a missile toward Jizan in southwestern Saudi Arabia on Friday, July 25. The attack followed Saudi airstrikes on Hodeidah and Houthi denunciations of attacks on civilian infrastructure.
Conflict between Tehran and Washington resumed on July 7, 2026, with fighting centered around the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic passage for global hydrocarbon commerce. The conflict has since expanded across the Arabian Peninsula, now involving Saudi Arabia and Houthis in Yemen.
Wang Yi, China's top diplomat, met with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Kyrgyzstan on Friday, July 25. Wang Yi called for resumption of negotiations between the United States and Iran to end the conflict, stating that the door to negotiations should not be closed while hope for peace exists. He affirmed China's strong support for Iran's sovereignty, security, and national dignity.
The United States has been conducting daily bombing operations against Iran for nearly two weeks as of July 25, 2026. Trump referenced these ongoing daily bombardments when discussing Iran's need to become more serious about negotiations.
A Saudi vessel was struck in the Red Sea on Friday, sustaining minor damage, according to a Saudi transport official. This attack occurred as part of the Houthis' announced blockade targeting Saudi shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
President Trump warned Russia and China against providing weapons to Iran. The warning came as the United States investigates potential sales of intelligence information by Moscow and Beijing to Iran, which allegedly led to Iranian strikes on U.S. military bases in the Middle East.
Donald Trump stated on Friday July 25 that he was considering larger-scale bombing operations against Iran. According to U.S. media reports, Trump met with his closest advisers in the morning to discuss a larger military operation in Iran. Trump said he was increasingly frustrated by the situation becoming bogged down, but stated at the White House that he had not yet made a final decision on the matter.
Saudi Arabia launched airstrikes on Hodeidah, a port city controlled by Houthis on the west coast of Yemen, on Friday July 25. A telecommunications building was reportedly hit in the strikes. This occurred as part of escalating regional conflict, with Saudi Arabia responding to Houthi attacks on Saudi shipping vessels.
Ali Abdollahi, head of Iran's military, threatened that for every Iranian citizen killed in the Islamic Republic, an American soldier would be sent to hell. The Iranian Revolutionary Guards called on civilians in the region to stay away from all sites hosting American forces, considering all such installations in the Middle East as legitimate targets.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that Iran reserves the right to take all necessary measures against any country participating, cooperating with, or helping the United States in the conflict.
The Iranian military claimed on July 24 that it struck US military installations using Arash kamikaze drones. The claimed targets included fuel tanks, supply warehouses, silos, and barracks at Isa Air Base in Bahrain, as well as aircraft hangars and military barracks at Al-Azraq base in Jordan. An AFP journalist in Bahrain reported an explosion and alarm sirens on Friday morning, though the connection to the claimed Iranian attacks was unclear. Jordan reported no strikes at the time of reporting.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledged to act with firmness following the death of an Israeli civilian in violence in occupied West Bank. Netanyahu stated that Israel would act firmly against terrorists and their sponsors and announced a meeting with security officials to discuss response options to what he characterized as a deadly attack.
The US military announced on July 24 that it conducted a new series of airstrikes against Iranian military targets for the 13th consecutive night. According to US Central Command (Centcom), the objective was to hold Iran accountable and reduce threats posed by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to commercial shipping. Iranian state media reported explosions in southern Iran and on Qeshm Island near the Strait of Hormuz.
Military operations between Iran and the US resumed on July 7, marking a significant escalation. The resumption of hostilities followed the breakdown of an Iran-US accord that had been reached in mid-June.
The US House of Representatives approved a new resolution ordering the withdrawal of American military forces from the war against Iran. Four Republican lawmakers joined Democrats in voting for the resolution. The vote was largely symbolic with no binding power over President Trump. The resolution came after the deaths of four additional US military personnel from Iranian strikes, bringing the US death toll to 18 since military operations began on February 28.
Multiple explosions were reported near Erbil airport in Iraqi Kurdistan on July 24, with drones observed over the city and smoke rising from the area. Erbil hosts US military troops and a US consulate. Regional authorities have accused Iran of being responsible for previous drone interceptions over the city.
One Israeli and four Palestinians were killed in clashes in northern occupied West Bank on July 24. Palestinian health ministry reported four dead and four wounded, including three with serious injuries, from gunfire in the village of Tel. Israeli rescue services reported one Israeli killed and two wounded. Israeli military stated that civilians were targeted before military forces responded against the shooters.
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi declared on July 24 that Iran holds responsible any country that participates in, cooperates with, or assists the US in military aggression against Iran. Araghchi stated that Iran reserves the right to take all necessary measures in self-defense. The statement was made during an Organization of Shanghai Cooperation meeting in Kyrgyzstan.
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