Iran war: Tehran warns of wider disruption amid US strikes
07/17/2026 July 17, 2026 Iran reportedly asked Houthis to prepare Red Sea shipping attacks Iran has asked Yemen's Houthi rebels to be ready to disrupt
07/17/2026 July 17, 2026 Iran reportedly asked Houthis to prepare Red Sea shipping attacks Iran has asked Yemen's Houthi rebels to be ready to disrupt shipping through the Red Sea if the United States attacks Iranian power infrastructure, according to sources cited by Reuters news agency.
Three sources familiar with the matter said the proposal has been discussed within Iran's leadership and communicated to the Houthis, although neither Tehran nor the Yemeni group has publicly confirmed the report. A source close to the Houthis told Reuters that the group has positioned drones and missiles near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, the southern gateway to the Red Sea, and is awaiting orders.
The development raises concerns about a further escalation in the regional conflict. With the Strait of Hormuz already disrupted by the US-Iran war, any threat
to shipping through the Red Sea could affect another major route for global energy supplies and international trade.
The BriefWire