A Houthi official stated on Tuesday that Saudi warplanes conducted airstrikes in Yemen, resulting in three fatalities, including two children, in the country's Taiz province. Another two individuals were reported injured.
Human Rights Watch, meanwhile, accused the Houthi rebels of potentially committing war crimes through their attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. The organization identified at least three such attacks between July 20 and August 24 that could be classified as war crimes. Niku Jafarnia, a researcher for Human Rights Watch focusing on Yemen and Bahrain, emphasized that deliberate or reckless attacks on civilian crews constitute war crimes, irrespective of political motivations.
The Houthi rebels claim their actions against Saudi-linked shipping are in retaliation for the blockade imposed by the Saudi-led coalition on Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen, a measure stemming from the nation's decade-long civil war. The rights group noted that the Houthis have claimed responsibility for attacking at least nine vessels within a month, including ships flagged in Saudi Arabia, Tanzania, and Dominica. Human Rights Watch has called on the Houthis to cease all unlawful attacks on civilian ships immediately and without condition.
This escalation in fighting occurs as the Iran-backed Houthi rebels have reportedly seized the strategic Greater and Lesser Hanish islands in the southern Red Sea. This move could enhance their control over a critical maritime shipping route. The seizure follows their capture of the Red Sea port of Mokha and another strategic island in the preceding week. These actions increase pressure on Saudi shipments, potentially impacting global oil supplies and prices.
Concerns have been raised that these developments could grant Iran additional leverage in its ongoing conflict with the United States. The Red Sea route has gained significance due to disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran had effectively closed early in the war. Saudi Arabia has utilized the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, an exit point from the Red Sea, for its crude oil exports. The renewed fighting in Yemen further endangers civilians and jeopardizes shipping through the Red Sea.