The head of Iran’s military command, Ali Abdollahi, said on state television on Saturday: “Any country that serves as a defensive shield for the criminal and aggressive America will go up in flames of war.” Earlier, US Donald Trump again threatened to hit Iran “very hard.” US media report that Washington is already considering large-scale attacks over the weekend, possibly targeting energy infrastructure.
Meanwhile, the Iran-backed Houthi militia in Yemen claims to have diverted eight Saudi oil tankers from their usual routes. The ships now have to take the longer route around the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa to reach Asian markets. Riyadh has not yet confirmed the diversion. The Houthis had announced the blockade last week as retaliation for years of Saudi pressure on their areas.
The Houthis have controlled large parts of northern Yemen, including Sanaa, since seizing power in 2014 and triggering a war in which a Saudi-led coalition intervened. For global shipping, the Bab el-Mandeb Strait between Yemen and the Horn of Africa is critical, connecting the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden. A serious disruption there would add to trade strain already suffering from the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
Source: www.dw.com
