HOUTHI ATTACKS KILL SEVERAL IN YEMEN AS TENSIONS GROW OVER RED SEA SHIPPING AND REGIONAL CONFLICT. (PHOTO).

 Houthi attacks kill several in Yemen as tensions grow over Red Sea shipping and regional conflict

Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels attacked a government-controlled port on the Red Sea on Sunday, killing at least seven people and raising fresh concerns about the security of crucial regional shipping routes and the possibility of renewed civil war.

The Houthis targeted the port of Mokha with missiles and drones, killing four military personnel and three civilians and injuring 15 civilians, according to Yemen’s government-aligned forces. The attack damaged port buildings, piers, commercial goods and food supplies, while additional missiles landed in several locations.

Mokha is controlled by Yemen’s internationally recognized government and has been upgraded to accommodate ships seeking alternatives to the Houthi-controlled port of Hodeida. The Houthis said they were targeting military forces and warehouses.

The rebels also claimed responsibility for a drone attack against an Aramco refinery in Saudi Arabia’s Jazan region. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said the strike was retaliation for Saudi drones allegedly entering Yemeni airspace over the provinces of Hajjah and Saada.

Saudi authorities reported a fire at a facility associated with the Aramco refinery but said there were no casualties. They did not provide a cause for the fire.

The attacks have raised concerns that violence could escalate again in Yemen despite a truce reached in 2022.

Meanwhile, Iran and Oman are working on a potential temporary arrangement aimed at reopening the strategically important Strait of Hormuz, a critical passage for global oil and natural gas shipments.

Under the proposed arrangement, ships would enter the strait near Iran and exit near Oman, with vessels temporarily allowed to transit without paying fees or tolls. The proposal is intended to restore an earlier agreement involving the United States and Iran.

The plan has received support from Gulf Cooperation Council members and could eventually be announced jointly by Iran, Oman, the United States and the International Maritime Organization. However, the terms remain subject to change.

Iran’s parliament has approved the general outlines of a separate plan for managing the waterway. An Iranian lawmaker said vessels from countries considered hostile to Iran could be barred from transiting until they compensate Iran for damage caused during the conflict.

Iranian officials have indicated that the United States and Israel could be among the countries subject to those restrictions.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said discussions with Oman over alternative maritime routes were nearing completion but cautioned that progress did not necessarily mean the Strait of Hormuz would immediately reopen.

Iran has demanded that the United States end threats against Tehran, terminate the conflict involving Iran and its allies, lift a naval blockade of Iranian ports and withdraw U.S. forces from the region. Tehran has also demanded compensation for war-related damage, the lifting of sanctions and the release of frozen Iranian assets.

Araghchi said communications between Iran and the United States were continuing through intermediaries but did not amount to formal negotiations. He said talks could not resume until alleged violations of an interim agreement were addressed.

The U.S. military has said its blockade has forced dozens of commercial vessels to change course, while several others have been disabled or boarded.

In Gaza, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected a deal announced by President Donald Trump last month, saying Israel would not withdraw its forces until Hamas is fully disarmed.

Netanyahu said Israel remains in discussions with the United States over the future of Gaza. Trump’s proposal called for Israeli forces to withdraw from parts of the territory as Hamas completes its disarmament. Israeli forces currently control more than half of Gaza.

Hamas political bureau member Bassem Naim said the group remains committed to the proposed framework and expects mediators and the United States to pressure Netanyahu to follow through.

The developments come as the Pentagon seeks to increase weapons production amid concerns that U.S. military stockpiles of advanced missile interceptors and other munitions are being depleted.

Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said the department is working to accelerate purchases of ammunition and other weapons needed by U.S. forces.

The conflict with Iran has placed additional strain on U.S. supplies, raising concerns among allies such as Ukraine and Taiwan that increased American demand could affect their access to military equipment.

The Pentagon said its effort to expand weapons production is part of a broader modernization initiative that began before the latest war involving the United States, Israel and Iran.