Houthis Strike Saudi Arabia's Jizan After Hodeida Airstrikes
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- Houthis claimed a "Yemeni missile strike" caused fires in Saudi Arabia's Jizan city, vowing that Saudi airstrikes on Hodeida and Kamaran island "will not go unanswered"; Saudi authorities issued emergency alerts for the province but did not immediately respond.
- The US military paused its 13-consecutive-night bombing campaign on Iran for the first time, though Iran has continued launching drone strikes on US military facilities across the Middle East during those same two weeks.
- Trump told reporters the US faces two exit paths: "keep going just the way we are" with "a heavier dose" or pursue "a smarter strategy that you make a deal," while insisting forces are "locked and loaded."
- US Navy forces disabled a second commercial tanker in the Gulf of Oman that tried to evade the American blockade on Iranian ports, firing into its engine room after the crew ignored repeated warnings and attempted to run the blockade "at least four times."
- Brent crude prices fell from over $100/barrel to about $96 on Friday after two Chinese-chartered supertankers successfully passed through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, easing fears of a Red Sea shipping disruption.
- An Omani delegation arrived in Tehran for Strait of Hormuz talks, while the US and UK are holding a London conference next week with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chairman Dan Caine set to attend.
Why it matters: The Houthi-Saudi exchange reignites Red Sea shipping risks at a moment when oil prices briefly crossed $100/barrel. Parallel diplomatic tracks — an Omani delegation in Tehran and a US-UK London conference — pursue off-ramps while the US enforces its Iranian port blockade, disabling a second tanker ship in the Gulf of Oman on Friday.
