Iran12 September, 20263 min read
Iran And Houthis Escalate Yemen Attacks, Disrupting Red Sea Shipping And Lifting Oil Prices
This article is an automated aggregation of coverage from news outlets. Our editorials offer in-depth analysis curated by the NewsCord team.
Iran's IRGC reportedly deploys on Yemen ground alongside Houthis, escalating regional conflict. Red Sea shipping disruptions linked to Iran-Houthis actions trigger oil prices above $100.
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Escalation and oil routes
Iran and its allies have used military escalation to shift momentum in Iran’s war with the United States, with the New York Times saying Tehran is “setting the stage for a diplomatic win” as it holds sway over two key oil shipping routes. The New York Times also links the change in leverage to Yemen, saying the Iranian-allied Houthis captured a Red Sea island on Friday to disrupt shipping in another critical waterway for oil exports. Reuters reporting cited by Fox News said oil prices climbed more than 6% Thursday, with both major benchmarks topping $100 a barrel as attacks on Gulf shipping intensified and Iran-backed Houthis seized Yemen’s port of Mocha.
Fox News further reported that the United Nations special envoy for Yemen warned the war had entered “a new and more dangerous phase,” as reports said Iranian military officers were operating alongside Houthi forces on the ground. The New York Times quoted Gregory Brew, a senior analyst at Eurasia Group, saying “The Houthi success in Yemen has swung the pendulum back in Iran’s favor.”
IRGC presence and warnings
Fox News said Hans Grundberg’s comments came as reports indicated Houthi rebels seized the Red Sea port city of Mocha, which sits roughly 45 miles north of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. Reuters reporting cited by Fox News said U.S. officials believe hundreds of IRGC officers are currently inside Yemen, working alongside the Houthis to help close the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. Fox News also said officials told the network that more than 100 U.S. military advisers are said to be on the ground in Saudi Arabia as Tehran steps up efforts to support Houthi attacks.
In a separate account, Diario AS said Houthi spokesman Nasraldin Amer warned that “if there is an escalation, we can attack oil infrastructure to paralyze even the small amount of oil Saudi Arabia exports through the Suez Canal.” Diario AS also reported that Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sari said “Saudi planes have conducted 129 incursions in the last 48 hours” against multiple Yemeni provinces.
Diplomacy, sanctions, and BRICS
The New York Times said Iran remains under immense economic pressure, citing “the ongoing U.S. naval blockade of its southern ports and escalating rounds of sanctions cutting it off from the world.” Fox News reported that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Washington will sanction a major bank next week as part of Operation Economic Outcast, adding “We are just going to continue with this process until everyone stops dealing with this regime.” Fox News also said the Office of Foreign Assets Control announced a presumption of denial for Iran-related specific licenses, suspending favorable consideration except when required by law or needed to address severe humanitarian or environmental risks.
In a BRICS-focused report, مونت كارلو الدولية said Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian called for a “genuine reform” of international governance mechanisms and criticized what he described as double standards in applying international law. That same BRICS summit coverage said the group’s joint statement called for “maximum restraint” in the Middle East and condemned attacks on civilian infrastructure and peaceful nuclear facilities under IAEA safeguards.