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Yemen

May 4, 2026

Sanaa 11:30 am

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Members of Houthi security forces stand guard while supporters of Yemen's Houthi movement attend an event commemorating the ninth anniversary of the Saudi-led intervention in their country, in the capital, Sanaa, on March 26, 2026.

Exclusive

Senior Houthi official says Bab el Mandab closure an option if any Gulf states join war

Houthi Deputy Information Minister Mohammed Mansour also said the strait could be closed “should the aggression against Iran and Lebanon escalate.”

Elizabeth Hagedorn

By Elizabeth Hagedorn

In Washington, DC, reporting on diplomacy, regional politics, human rights

Saudis shop for fresh products at a market in Riyadh on Feb. 18, 2026, on the first day of the holy fasting month of Ramadan in Saudi Arabia.

Analysis

Alternative supply routes emerge as Iran war tests Gulf food security

Roughly 61 million people in the Gulf rely on established food supply chains, many of which have been upended since the United States and Israel launched their attack against Iran on Feb. 28.

In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech

Riyadh

Analysis

In Saudi Arabia, Erdogan fosters security alignment, $30B trade push

The Turkish president’s visit cemented Ankara and Riyadh’s accelerating convergence as regional crises mount and Gulf rivalries sharpen.

Ezgi Akin

In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO

Galaxy Leader

Yemen’s Houthis hint at Red Sea attacks as US-Iran tensions rise: What to know

The Houthi warnings come as a US aircraft carrier accompanied by several guided missile destroyers entered Gulf waters amid tensions with Iran.

Latest News

Thousands rally for South Yemen independence amid Saudi diplomatic push

AFP via Getty Images

Egypt's economy can weather more Red Sea attacks, says finance minister

Ships sail along Egypt's Suez Canal near Ismailia on April 16, 2025.

From Egypt to Lebanon: What’s at stake for regional states on Trump’s visa ban list?

From Iraq to Yemen, how Iran proxies are responding to protests

Iranians gather while blocking a street during a protest in Tehran, Iran, on Jan. 9, 2026.

TOPSHOT - Fighters from of the Southern Transitional Council (STC) fire towards the positions of Saudi-backed government forces during clashes in the Sheikh Salim area in the southern Abyan province on May 11, 2020. (Photo by Nabil HASAN / AFP) (Photo by NABIL HASAN/AFP via Getty Images)

South Yemen in tumult as Yemen government, separatists face off in Abyan

Saudi-backed government forces in Yemen launched an offensive in the southern province of Abyan against UAE-backed southern secessionists who declared self-rule in the southern governorates last month.

A delivery man wearing a protective face mask rides his bicycle, amid fear of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Sanaa, Yemen April 10, 2020. REUTERS/Mohamed al-Sayaghi - RC2Q1G92ES6L

Report: Yemen has more coronavirus cases than official numbers show

Houthi authorities have not reported test results for many suspected coronavirus cases, news organizations say.

Security men wearing protective masks stand on a street during a 24-hour curfew amid concerns about the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Sanaa, Yemen May 6, 2020. REUTERS/Khaled Abdullah TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY - RC25JG9N8EU1

Yemen advocates push for COVID-19 aid in next coronavirus stimulus bill

Activists and humanitarian organizations want Congress to include COVID-19 aid for Yemen in the next coronavirus relief bill as skeptical senators question the Trump administration’s recent restrictions on assistance for Houthi-held areas.

Yemeni government vows to confront southern rebellion

Yemen's internationally recognized government pledged to respond to any attacks from the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council in the country's south.

Nurses receive training on using ventilators, recently provided by the World Health Organization at the intensive care ward of a hospital allocated for novel coronavirus patients in preparation for any possible spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Sanaa, Yemen April 8, 2020. Picture taken April 8, 2020. REUTERS/Khaled Abdullah - RC231G9K4EXG

Intel: WHO suspends Yemen staff activity over 'credible threats' in Houthi-held territory

The World Health Organization has suspended its staff activity in certain areas throughout Houthi-controlled territory.

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a coronavirus response event in the Blue Room at the White House in Washington, U.S., May 1, 2020. REUTERS/Carlos Barria - RC2WFG9ZBEP0

Trump blasts Republicans who voted for Iran war powers bill as Senate fails to override veto

President Donald Trump laid into some of his close Senate allies for siding with Democrats on an Iran war powers bill even as Congress failed to override his veto.

A security man wearing a protective mask walks on a street during a 24-hour curfew amid concerns about the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Sanaa, Yemen May 6, 2020. REUTERS/Khaled Abdullah - RC25JG9B0IDA

Trump administration announces $225 million in emergency Yemen aid

The Donald Trump administration announced $225 in emergency food aid for Yemen today, but the United States is still refusing to cooperate with the World Health Organization on vital programs.

Houthi Health Minister, Taha al-Mutawakkil addresses a news conference on the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Sanaa, Yemen May 5, 2020. REUTERS/Khaled Abdullah - RC2GIG9HSIRK

Yemen’s Houthis announce first coronavirus case

While 21 previous cases had been reported in areas controlled by the internationally recognized government, the real figure in the war-wracked country is likely far higher.

Saudi-led coalition spokesman, Colonel Turki al-Malki, displays the debris of a ballistic missile which he says was launched by Yemen's Houthi group towards the capital Riyadh, during a news conference in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia March 29, 2020. REUTERS/Ahmed Yosri - RC2VTF9ERLB8

Houthis fire ballistic missiles despite Yemen cease-fire, say Saudis

A spokesperson for the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen has accused the Iran-aligned rebels of launching ballistic missiles in violation of a unilateral cease-fire.

Volunteers for a coronavirus awareness campaign wearing protective face masks attend lecture in preparation for any possible spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Sanaa, Yemen March 28, 2020. Picture taken March 28, 2020. REUTERS/Khaled Abdullah - RC2XUF93UGU1

Trump administration touts aid that meets small fraction of Yemen’s COVID-19 needs

The State Department announced more Yemen aid, but it still falls well short of the $1.3 billion the war-torn country needs to stave off the coronavirus pandemic.

U.S. President Donald Trump meets with Saudi Deputy Crown Prince and Minister of Defense Mohammed bin Salman in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, U.S., March 14, 2017. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque - RC1BEFE58C00

Was Trump’s call about oil with Saudi leader the start of a reset in relations?

US-Saudi partnership faces both old and new challenges in post-COVID-19 Middle East.

Southern Yemeni separatist security members patrol a street during a campaign to seize unlicensed motorcycles in Aden, Yemen December 10, 2019. REUTERS/Fawaz Salman - RC2CSD92XYQW

Intel: US 'concerned' over separatists declaring self-rule in Yemen

The US government is concerned by the actions of a separatist group that declared self-rule in parts of southern Yemen over the weekend, said US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.