Iran Threatens to Attack UK Bases Used by US Forces - Risking Wider War | BBC News

July 23, 2026 | Iran has threatened to attack British bases being used by the US to launch operations against Iran. It accused the UK of being an "accomplice" of the US military and said that UK bases used by US forces were “legitimate targets”.

The UK has allowed the US to launch "defensive" operations from British bases hosting American personnel and aircraft, while refusing to cooperate in offensive operations against Iran. In response to Iran’s comments, the UK government said it "stands ready 24/7 to defend itself". It followed a 12th consecutive night of US strikes against targets in Iran, with the ceasefire that had been agreed between the two countries apparently abandoned.

In March 2026, shortly after the start of the US-Israel led war against Iran, the UK gave the US permission to use British bases, including RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire and Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean, to target Iranian military infrastructure used to attack Gulf countries and vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.

The escalating war, and continuing block on commercial shipping through the strait of Hormuz, has led to a new surge in global oil prices, which have again reached more than $100 per barrel.

Clive Myrie presents BBC News at Ten reporting by Jeremy Bowen and Faisal Islam.

Bab El-Mandeb, l’autre détroit qui menace d’étrangler le pétrole mondial

LE FIGARO : DÉCRYPTAGE - Suite à une frappe sur un pétrolier saoudien, les rebelles houthis imposent un blocus naval à Riyad en mer Rouge. Après Ormuz, verrouillé par Téhéran, un second goulet d’étranglement se referme sur le brut saoudien.

En mer Rouge, tout s’est noué en une dizaine de jours. Les rebelles yéménites houthistes ont pris prétexte de bombardements menés par l’Arabie saoudite contre l’aéroport de Sanaa, sur fond de dispute autour d’un avion iranien, pour frapper en riposte l’aéroport d’Abha, première attaque visant le sol saoudien depuis 2022. Lundi, ils ont décrété un « blocus naval » contre le royaume. Jeudi, ils sont passés à l’acte en visant deux pétroliers saoudiens. Riyad a confirmé un incendie à la proue de l’un d’eux. Au moins neuf navires ont fait demi-tour près du détroit de Bab al-Mandab, où le trafic se contracte.

Restés jusqu’ici en marge de la guerre américano-iranienne, les houthistes sont une milice pro-iranienne issue des hauts plateaux du nord du Yémen. Après avoir repris la capitale Sanaa, en 2014, elle est en guerre depuis 2015 contre une coalition conduite par Riyad. À la suite d’une escalade avec les Saoudiens, l’Iran se sert de son allié pour rappeler qu’il possède un autre moyen de pression : le détroit de Bab al-Mandab. Le procédé est rodé : en 2023, après les attaques du 7 Octobre et les bombardements déclenchés en représailles par Israël contre la bande de Gaza, les houthistes avaient déjà harcelé le trafic marchand. » | Par Rémi Monti | jeudi 23 juillet 2026

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Iran-Backed Houthis Expand Conflict With Red Sea Blockade

THE NEW YORK TIMES: The move against Saudi ships will add new pressure on energy markets. Tehran said it had received new proposals from mediators.

The Houthis, the Iran-backed armed faction in Yemen, said they would impose a blockade on Saudi ships, threatening to open a new front in the Middle East conflict and raising the pressure on volatile global energy markets.

The announcement was made as many in the region were tensely watching to see if the rounds of bombardment between U.S. and Iranian forces in the Persian Gulf would continue to escalate. The two countries traded new attacks on Monday, with Iran targeting countries that host U.S. military bases, despite efforts by mediators to calm tensions.

The latest hostilities initially focused on the Strait of Hormuz, but they have expanded into a cycle of attacks and counterattacks that have killed at least three American service members since Friday, hit Arab states across the Persian Gulf and damaged critical infrastructure in Iran and U.S.-allied Kuwait.

Iran’s chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz has reduced global fuel supplies, pushing prices upward, but Saudi Arabia, a U.S. ally, has been able to reroute some of its exports through the Red Sea. If the Houthis follow through on their statement that they will not allow Saudi vessels to pass through the Bab al-Mandab Strait, the southern portal to the Red Sea, it would worsen the global fuel crisis. Iran War Live Updates » | Aaron Boxerman, Ismaeel Naar, Sanam Mahoozi and Yan Zhuang | Monday, July 20, 2026

The master of the 'Art of the Deal' has got himself into a real fix with this illegitimate and unnecessary Iran War, hasn't he? He's in a fix, and so is the global economy. — © Mark Alexander

Houthis Condemn Deadly US Bombardment of Yemen as a 'War Crime' and Promise Retaliation | DW News

Mar 16, 2025 | US Secretary of State Marco Rubio says the US will continue its military campaign in Yemen until Houthi rebels no longer have the capacity to strike ships in the Red Sea. Rubio also insisted there was no way Houthis could attack vital shipping lanes without Iranian support. On Saturday, the US launched deadly airstrikes on Sanaa, killing more than 30 people and injuring 100.

Trump Ordered Airstrikes on Yemen in Warning to Houthis over Shipping Route

THE GUARDIAN: Houthis reported series of explosions and images show plumes of smoke rising over the Sana’a airport complex

Donald Trump said he ordered a series of airstrikes on Yemen’s capital, Sana’a, on Saturday, promising to use “overwhelming lethal force” until Iranian-backed Houthi rebels cease their attacks on shipping along a vital maritime corridor.

The Houthis reported a series of explosions in their territory on Saturday evening. Images circulating online show plumes of black smoke over the area of the Sana’a airport complex, which includes a sprawling military facility. The extent of the damage was not yet clear.

“Our brave Warfighters are right now carrying out aerial attacks on the terrorists’ bases, leaders, and missile defenses to protect American shipping, air, and naval assets, and to restore Navigational Freedom,” Trump said in a social media post. “No terrorist force will stop American commercial and naval vessels from freely sailing the Waterways of the World.” » | Associated Press | Saturday, March 15, 2025

American Mercenaries Hired by UAE to Kill in Yemen | BBC News

Jan 23, 2024 | American mercenaries, hired by the UAE to kill in Yemen, have spoken candidly on camera for the first time in an investigation by BBC Arabic.

At a time when Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping have highlighted the international dimensions of the Yemeni conflict, the investigation also reveals how US mercenaries trained Emirati officers to kill the UAE’s political enemies in Yemen.

These extra-judicial killings, conducted in the name of counter-terrorism, started in 2015 and continue to this day.

After US and UK Strikes against Houthis – Fears of Escalation in Middle East Become Real | DW News

Jan 12, 2024 | The United States and Britain have carried out military strikes against targets in Yemen in retaliation for Houthi rebel attacks on shipping in the Red Sea. The Houthis and the group's backer Iran have condemned the strikes. The US and the UK say the action is aimed at protecting international trade routes. For more on this, we talk to Frank Ledwidge. He's a senior lecturer in strategic studies at Portsmouth University and a former British military intelligence officer. And we talk to Elisabeth Kendall. She is a Middle East expert at Girton College, part of the University of Cambridge.

U.S. Missiles Strike Targets in Yemen Linked to the Houthi Militia

THE NEW YORK TIMES: The American-led strikes came in response to more than two dozen Houthi drone and missile attacks against commercial shipping in the Red Sea since the Israel-Hamas war began.

The United States and five of its allies on Thursday carried out military strikes against more than a dozen targets in Yemen controlled by the Iranian-backed Houthi militia, in an expansion of the war in the Middle East that the Biden administration had sought to avoid for the past three months.

The American-led air and naval strikes came in response to more than two dozen Houthi drone and missile attacks against commercial shipping in the Red Sea since November, and after warnings to the Houthis in the past week from the Biden administration and several international allies of serious consequences if the salvos did not stop.

On Thursday night, President Biden called the strikes a “clear message that the United States and our partners will not tolerate attacks on our personnel or allow hostile actors to imperil freedom of navigation in one of the world’s most critical commercial routes.”

In a statement, he warned: “I will not hesitate to direct further measures to protect our people and the free flow of international commerce as necessary.” » | Eric Schmitt and Helene Cooper, Reporting from Washington | Thursday, January 11, 2024

Les Etats-Unis et le Royaume-Uni tentent d’enrayer les attaques des houthistes en mer Rouge en menant des frappes contre leurs installations au Yémen : L’opération conduite dans la nuit du jeudi 11 au vendredi 12 janvier intervient après une trentaine d’attaques de navires commerciaux par les rebelles yéménites, qui prétendent agir par solidarité avec les Palestiniens de Gaza. » [€]

Biden meldet Militärschlag gegen Huthi-Rebellen: Die Amerikaner und ihre Verbündeten haben laut US-Regierung Stellungen der Huthi-Rebellen im Jemen angegriffen. Präsident Biden spricht von einer „direkten Reaktion auf die beispiellosen Angriffe der Huthi auf die internationale Schifffahrt“. »

Iranian Navy Says It Seized an Oil Tanker Off the Coast of Oman: The same vessel was involved last year in the U.S. government seizure of Iranian oil that was being transported in violation of American sanctions. »

Israel Rushes Missile Boats to Red Sea after Yemen’s Houthis Declare War

THE TELEGRAPH: Iran-backed movement says it has launched three attacks towards Israel since Oct 7 and vows more ‘to help Palestinians to victory’

Israel deployed warships to the Red Sea on Wednesday after Yemen’s Houthis declared war and launched a ballistic missile at an Israeli city.

Images released by the Israeli military showed Sa’ar-class corvettes patrolling near Eilat port in the Red Sea, which Israel sees as a new front as its war in Gaza draws retaliation from Iran-backed forces elsewhere in the region.

On Tuesday, the Houthis said they had launched three drone and missile attacks towards Israel since the start of the Hamas-Israel war on Oct 7. They vowed there would be more such attacks “to help the Palestinians to victory”.

The Israeli military used its Arrow missile defence system for the first time to intercept an “aerial threat” over the Red Sea, believed to have been a ballistic missile. » | Telegraph’s Foreign Staff | Wednesday, November 1, 2023

U.S. Knew Saudis Were Killing African Migrants

THE NEW YORK TIMES: The United States was told last year that Saudi security forces were shooting, shelling and abusing groups of migrants, but it chose not to raise the issue publicly.

Last fall, American diplomats received grim news that border guards in Saudi Arabia, a close U.S. partner in the Middle East, were using lethal force against African migrants who were trying to enter the kingdom from Yemen.

The diplomats got more detail in December, when United Nations officials presented them with information about Saudi security forces shooting, shelling and abusing migrants, leaving many dead and wounded, according to U.S. officials and a person who attended the meetings, all of whom spoke on condition of anonymity since they were not authorized to speak to journalists.

In the months since, American officials have not publicly criticized the Saudis’ conduct, although State Department officials said this past week, following a published report of the killings, that U.S. diplomats have raised the issue with their Saudi counterparts and asked them to investigate. It remains unclear whether those discussions have affected Saudi actions. » | Ben Hubbard and Edward Wong, Ben Hubbard reported from Istanbul and Edward Wong from Washington. | Saturday, August 26, 2023

Senator Bernie Sanders: Why the United States Must End Its Involvement in the Devastating Saudi-led War in Yemen.

Dec 14, 2022

Can the US Guarantee Gulf Security? | Inside Story

Washington has blamed Tehran for the attack on Saudi oil facilities and says it's now building a coalition against Iran.

The Gulf region is on the edge. Who's responsible for last week's attacks on Saudi oil infrastructure, has led to accusations from different sides. The US and Saudi Arabia say Iran is behind the Aramco strikes. But the Houthis in Yemen say they are responsible and have warned of more to come.

The US Secretary of State visited allies Saudi Arabia and the UAE to talk to their leaders. Mike Pompeo said Washington was seeking a peaceful resolution to the crisis, but blamed Iran for seeking an 'all-out war.'

Iran's foreign minister says the U.S. is preparing to use the Aramco incident as an excuse to attack his country, and that Tehran's ready to defend itself. So, will tension escalate even further? Or would diplomacy defuse it?

Presenter: Imran Khan | Guests: Nader Hashemi, Director of the Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Denver; Mohammad Marandi, Professor of American Studies at the University of Tehran; Adolfo Franco, Republican strategist and former adviser to Senator John McCain

How Will Saudi Arabia Respond to Attacks on Oil Facilities? | Inside Story

Drone attacks force world's largest oil exporter to halve output. It's being described as an unprecedented attack on the world's energy supply.

Oil prices are expected to rise after Saudi Arabia was forced to cut production in half. Houthi rebels in Yemen say their latest drone attacks knocked out the world's largest crude processing plant.

Iran is dismissing US accusations that it was responsible. Is the possibility of a war between Iran and the Saudis increasing?

Presenter: Hashem Ahelbarra | Guests: Hussain Al Bukhaiti - Yemeni affairs specialist; Simon Mabon - Director, Richardson Institute for Peace Studies, Lancaster University; Josh Young - Portfolio Manager, Bison Interests energy investment firm

Yemen War: Congress Votes to End US Military Assistance to Saudi Arabia

THE GUARDIAN: House voted 247-175 to send the resolution to Trump’s desk, where it is likely to be met with a veto

Congress has given final approval on a resolution to end American military assistance for Saudi Arabia’s war in Yemen, in an unprecedented attempt to curtail the president’s power to go to war and a sweeping rebuke to Donald Trump’s foreign policy.

The House voted 247 to 175 to send the resolution to the president’s desk, where it is likely to be met with a veto. Sixteen Republicans broke ranks and joined Democrats in the effort. The Senate passed the resolution last month, with seven Republicans voting in favor of it.

The resolution’s passage sets up another confrontation between Congress and Trump, who has already threatened to veto it. The White House has said the resolution raises “serious constitutional concerns”. » | Lauren Gambino and Julian Borger in Washington | Thursday, April 4, 2019

Bernie Sanders: End US Arms Sales to Saudis and Support for its Yemen War

TRNN Replay: At the Sanders Institute Gathering, Sen. Sanders joins Paul Jay to discuss his Senate resolution to end US support for the Saudi war in Yemen

UK's Saudi Weapons Sales Unlawful, Lords Committee Finds

THE GUARDIAN: Report finds UK arms ‘highly likely to be cause of significant civilian casualties in Yemen’

The UK is on “the wrong side of the law” by sanctioning arms exports to Saudi Arabia for the war in Yemen and should suspend some of the export licences, an all-party Lords committee has said.

The report by the international relations select committee says ministers are not making independent checks to see if arms supplied by the UK are being used in breach of the law, but is instead relying on inadequate investigations by the Saudis, its allies in the war.

It describes the humanitarian plight of Yemenis as “unconscionable”. » | Patrick Wintour, Diplomatic editor | Saturday, February 16, 2019

Senate Votes To End US Support For Saudi-Led War In Yemen | Velshi & Ruhle | MSNBC

In a stinging rebuke of President Trump and the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the US Senate voted to end military support of the Saudi-led war in Yemen.

What's Ahead for the US-Saudi Relationship? l Inside Story

US Senators have sent a strong message to the White House – they will hold Saudi Arabia to account over its rôle in the war in Yemen and the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

The Senate has voted to hold hearings next week on whether to end US involvement in the 3-year old conflict. That's despite strong opposition from the Trump administration, which sent the Secretaries of State and Defense to persuade Senators to vote against the measure.

So, what will this mean for the future of the US-Saudi relationship?

Presenter: Hashem Ahelbarra | Guests: Charles Moran - Republican Political Strategist; Karen Greenberg - Director of the Center on National Security at Fordham University School of Law; Glenn Carle - A former CIA officer.

Khashoggi Murder: 'Nobody Now Believes Mohammed bin Salman Is a Reformer'

Saudi Arabia: Global Pressure Calling for End to Arms Sales | Al Jazeera English

Rights groups are ramping up pressure against Saudi Arabia’s leadership calling on the international community to close its doors on arms sales after the killing of Jamal Khashoggi and over the war in Yemen.

A bipartisan group of US lawmakers have introduced a bill to ban arms sales to Saudi Arabia. It would also cut military co-operation, unless US investigators can provide proof the Saudi government did not order the killing of Khashoggi.

Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel has joined other European countries in calling for a "credible" investigation and has halted a weapons deals with Saudi Arabia.

Al Jazeera’s Raheela Mahomed looks at how international pressure is also growing online.