Suez Canal could be closed by Houthi attacks at the ‘Gate of Tears’ and Western economies shattered as Yemeni militia enter Iran war with attack on Israel

The Houthi rebels in Yemen could cause further turmoil to global shipping by effectively closing the Suez Canal, experts have warned.

The terror group, backed by Iran, entered the war between Tehran and the US and Israel overnight with a missile attack towards Tel Aviv.

It is feared the militia could make a return to striking ships after attacking multiple vessels in the Red Sea during the war in Gaza.

An obvious target would be the Bab al-Mandab Strait off the coast of Yemen, a key choke point for sea traffic towards the Suez Canal.

Mohamad Elmasry, a professor at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies, said today the Houthis have ‘significant power’. He added:

If they decided to move to shut down Bab al-Mandeb strait, the Red Sea and, ultimately, the Suez Canal, then we would have two major choke points [closed] along with the Strait of Hormuz.

These are major international shipping waterways for international trade, so I think it can be very significant from that standpoint.

Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels have entered the conflict in the Middle East and launched a missile attack on Israel.

The terror group’s strike raises the prospects of a broader regional confrontation, as well as an increased threat to shipping in the region.

The group said the attack with a barrage of missiles came after continued targeting of infrastructure in Iran, Lebanon, Iraq and the Palestinian territories, adding that their operations would continue until the ‘aggression’ on all fronts ends.

On Friday, Brig Gen Saree, a military spokesman for the Houthis, said the rebels could join the war on behalf of Iran if attacks on the country did not cease.

‘We affirm that our fingers are on the trigger for direct military intervention in any of the following cases,’ Saree said. They included the ‘continuation of the escalation against the Islamic Republic and the Axis of Jihad and Resistance, as dictated by the theatre of military operations.’

The group has now said it will remain in the conflict until all its goals are met.

There are fears that the move could see wider attacks on shipping in the region and even the closure of the Red Sea, in addition to Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

The Houthis previously launched strikes against vessels in the Red Sea during the height of Israel’s war in Gaza.

An Israeli self-propelled howitzer gun has been seen firing rounds in southern Lebanon today, as an IDF Black Hawk and F-16 fighter aircraft were spotted in the sky today.

One hundred and forty-two people have been hospitalised in the last 24 hours in Israel, according to the country’s Health Ministry.

The total for people injured in the state currently sits at 5,689, AlJazeera reports.

Currently, 132 of the injured are in hospital, 15 of whom are in a serious condition and one who is in critical condition.

Clouds of smoke have been seen in southern Lebanon after an Israeli airstrike as tensions continue to rise in the Middle East.

A series of Iranian drones has struck Kuwait International Airport, according to officials in the Middle Eastern country.

Both the several fuel tanks and the airport’s radar system have been subjected to significant damage today, according to KUNA – a state news agency.

No injuries have been reported.

Kuwait’s military posted video of firepeople fighting n the blaze at the airport.

It comes as a total of 15 drones were launched at Kuwait by Iran in the last 12 hours, according ot officials.

By Elizabeth Haigh

US President Donald Trump threatened to abandon Natoon Friday night after his European allies declined to intervene to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump said the US does not ‘have to be there for Nato’, in his latest comments hitting out at his allies for not joining in his and Israel‘s war on the Islamic Republic.

Speaking to an investment forum in Miami on Friday night, the President said he was upset that European Nato countries had declined to provide material support to the US as the conflict enters its second month.

‘We would have always been there for them, but now, based on their actions, I guess we don’t have to be, do we?’ he told the audience.

‘That sounds like a breaking story? Yes, sir. Is that breaking news? I think we just have breaking news, but that’s the fact. I’ve been saying that. Why would we be there for them if they’re not there for us? They weren’t there for us.’

European allies were not consulted by the US on its decision to attack Iran late last month, and many leaders in the alliance opposed the action.

It comes as the White House continues to give mixed messages about their intentions in the conflict, with Trump flitting between claims that the war is all but won and threatening major escalation, possibly even troops on the ground.

Today the war widened once again after the Houthi rebels, an armed terror militia in Yemen, launched a missile attack on Israel.

Three people have died in an airstrike in southern Lebanon, and have been confirmed to be journalists.

Fatima Fattuni, a reporter for Al Mayadeen, and Ali Shayeb, an Al Manar correspondent, were among the three who died.

The third person who passed away was cameraman Mohammed Fattuni, Fatima Fattuni’s brother.

The Health Ministry in Beirut says that 47 people were killed and 112 were wounded over the past 24 hours.

This brings the death toll to 1,189 since the latest Israel-Hezbollah war began on March 2.

The total number of people wounded is 3,427.

The Israeli military said it carried out widespread strikes overnight against Tehran, using more than 50 fighter jets to target weapons production infrastructure.

The military said the main target of the strikes was Irans naval weapons production facilities. Iran did not immediately acknowledge any strikes on its marine or naval programs.

A Navy ship carrying around 2,500 Marines has arrived in the Middle East, US Central Command announced Saturday.

The USS Tripoli, an amphibious assault ship, as well as the elements from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit that are aboard, are based in Japan. They were conducting exercises in the area around Taiwan when it was ordered to the Middle East almost two weeks ago.

US Central Command said that in addition to the Marines, the Tripoli also brings transport and strike fighter aircraft, as well as amphibious assault assets to the region.

The USS Boxer and two other ships, along with another Marine Expeditionary Unit, have also been ordered to the region from San Diego.

Qatars Defence Ministry said it intercepted several drones fired from Iran, the first attack the Gulf state reports in over a week.

Qatar sounded the alarms to warn citizens against incoming fire on Friday, but did not report any attacks following the alarms.