Tracking the Middle East Crisis: Houthi Ship Attacks, US-Iran Diplomatic Standoff

Yemeni government forces and Houthi fighters engage in intense clashes in the Red Sea and the Strait of Bab el-Mandeb, with multiple vessels attacked in the Strait of Hormuz. The US and Iran are both signaling readiness for direct dialogue, as the US simultaneously issues sanctions warnings targeting Iranian crude oil exports and Iran-linked banks.