US-Iran conflict: Saudi pipeline attack, Yemen crisis add to regional tensions

Day 197: Saudi Arabia shuts pipeline after attacks as Houthis seize Yemen's Red Sea coast

Day 196: Iranian strikes hit US aircraft in Jordan

Day 195: Iran Guards say target unmanned US sea drone in Hormuz

Day 194: Iran Guards say war can end if US halts threats, meets demands

Day 193: IRGC Navy warns tanker crews near Kuwait, Bahrain

Two people were injured after a projectile launched by the Houthi militia landed in Saudi Arabia’s Jazan region on Saturday, damaging a mosque, several buildings and vehicles, Saudi Civil Defence said.

The Civil Defence spokesman said teams in Al Tuwal Governorate responded on Saturday, September 12, 2026, after the projectile landed in the area.

The incident resulted in two injuries and material damage to a mosque, a number of buildings and several vehicles, the spokesman said.

He said targeting civilian objects constituted a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law, adding that the established procedures for such incidents had been implemented.

Somali pirates briefly hijacked a vessel off the coast of Yemen this week, the European Naval Force and security sources in Puntland said on Saturday.

Six armed men stormed the MT Glamour on Thursday when the ship, sailing under the flag of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, was about 38 nautical miles (70 kilometres) off the coast.

The Gulf of Aden and the Somali coast have seen a resurgence in piracy since April, with at least 15 attacks recorded this year - the highest since 2013, according to the International Maritime Organization.

Several security sources in the northeastern Puntland region - a major hub of Somali piracy - told AFP that six armed men boarded the Glamour after setting off from a small fishing village.

According to the European Naval Force, the crew stopped the vessel, shut down its systems and took refuge in the citadel as a precaution before the vessel was boarded.

After the hijacking, a Japanese warship approached the vessel and helicopters circled the ship, prompting the pirates to abandon it, the Puntland authorities said.

On Friday, Somali pirates released the cargo ship MV Sward, which was hijacked in April with 17 crew members on board.

Security sources and the authorities in Puntland said a ransom was paid.

Four tankers seized this year remain in the hands of pirates off the Somali coast - the Honour 25, the Eureka, the Asana and the Seamull, which is also known as Sibu 1.

The Seamull, which is part of Iran's "ghost fleet" accused of exporting Iranian oil, is subject to US sanctions.

About 1,400 people have fled Yemen for Djibouti due to fighting between government forces and Iran-allied Houthis, Djibouti's minister of economy and finance said Saturday.

Houthi fighters control a large part of northern Yemen, including the capital Sanaa and Hodeida in the west. They have advanced along the coast in just days and on Thursday seized the port city of Mokha.

The Houthis have since taken control of the coastline and islands in the Red Sea, and on Friday tightened their grip on the Bab Al Mandeb Strait, which is vital to global shipping through the Suez Canal.

"1400 GBPrefugees arrived in GBPDjibouti from GBPYemen in just 24 hours," Ilyas Moussa Dawaleh wrote on X.

Located opposite Yemen on the Horn of Africa, tiny Djibouti borders the Bab Al Mandeb Strait at the entrance to the Red Sea from the Gulf of Aden.

Safiya Ibrahim, humanitarian response coordinator for the International Organization for Migration, told AFP that "vulnerable groups such as women and children have reached the shores of Obock, with more expected in the coming days".

According to the United Nations, at least 76,000 people have been displaced in Yemen since July, with the number quadrupling in the last week after the latest fighting.

Houthi fighters in Yemen said Sunday they used drones and missiles to attack a military base in southern Saudi Arabia.

The attack at the Sharurah base targeted "weapons depots and command and control centres that are managing the aggression against our nation and people", Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree wrote on X.

The date of the operation was not specified. Clashes have increased this week between the Iran-allied Houthis and Yemeni government forces, which are backed by Riyadh.

Iran and Oman have agreed on the details of new entry and exit routes for the Strait of Hormuz and will brief Gulf countries on the outcome of their consultations at a regional meeting in Muscat on Monday, Iranian officials said.

Citing a source close to Iran's negotiating team, the semi-official Tasnim news agency said that the understanding was reached after "intensive technical and diplomatic talks between Iran and Oman, which culminated in a final agreement in late August."

Under the understanding, the Gulf's entry route "lies entirely within Iran's territorial waters," and a portion of the exit route also falls "within Iranian territorial waters," the source said.

The source stressed that the route would operate under Iranian arrangements and the waterway's southern route will be closed once the new system becomes operational, noting that the United States had insisted that the southern route must be opened.

"The understanding in no way means that the Strait of Hormuz will be opened," the source said, adding that Iran has seven conditions for reopening the waterway and has conveyed them to the United States.

The source underlined that the waterway will remain closed unless those conditions are implemented, with reopening depending entirely on the US behaviour, Xinhua news agency reported.

A vessel was struck by an unknown projectile while transiting the Strait of Hormuz as the conflict in the region continues to escalate despite BRICS nations calling for exercising maximum restraint in the Middle East.

According to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), the status of the crew, damage assessment and environmental impact are unknown at present.

UKMTO has advised the vessels to transit with caution and report any suspicious activity while authorities are investigating the incident.

A ship was struck in the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday, killing one person and injuring three, local Iranian authorities said, as Tehran and Washington clash over the strategic waterway.

"A merchant vessel was struck around 5:00 am (0130 GMT) this morning off the coasts of Hengam and Qeshm islands. One person was killed and three others were injured," Qeshm city governor Amir Teymouri said, according to state TV, without specifying the origin of the strike.

Several explosions were reported overnight around Qeshm, the largest island in the Hormuz strait.

The deadly incident comes a day before a meeting between Iran and Gulf states in Oman, which also borders the strait, over the blockaded route crucial for global oil and gas trade.

Iraqi authorities announced on Sunday a timeline to reopen three crossings with Iran, a day after closing them following a drone attack originating from their shared border on a Saudi pipeline.

After the Friday night attack on the East-West pipeline, Baghdad sacked the military commander in Missan province near the Iran border, after authorities determined the drones were launched from there.

The government then closed three crossings, citing the need to reorganise operations and boost intelligence efforts to stop violations.

Two Iraqi security sources told AFP on Saturday that drone launchers were found near the Al Shib border crossing in Missan.

The government's security media cell said Sunday that "after reviewing operations at the border crossings," they would gradually reopen for passengers and trade on a timeline from Sunday until Thursday.

The crossings are Shalamsheh in Basra, Al Shib in Missan, and Al Mandali in Diyala.

Shalamsheh and Al Shib reopened to passengers on Sunday but not to trade, the government media cell said.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, and an alliance of Iran-backed Iraqi armed factions said they hadn't struck the pipeline, though Riyadh had previously accused Iraqi groups of targeting its oil infrastructure.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Sunday that Tehran had reached an understanding with Oman over the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran’s Tasnim news agency, citing an Iranian source, reported that the two sides had agreed on details for new routes into and out of the strait. The source said the agreement did not itself reopen the waterway but laid the groundwork for doing so.

The source also said the southern route would remain closed, despite US insistence that it be used — a position that appeared to contradict Pezeshkian’s remarks.

More than 2,000 people have landed in Djibouti this week after fleeing the uptick in fighting between Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi fighters and Saudi-backed government, the United Nations said on Sunday.

Tens of thousands have taken flight in the wake of a week-long Houthi offensive that culminated in the group capturing the remainder of Yemen's Red Sea coast and several strategic islands, cementing their hold on the strategic Bab Al Mandab Strait.

On Thursday, the group took control of the Red Sea port city of Mocha, which lies along the key waterway for ships passing from Europe to Asia.

"More than 2,000 people fleeing hostilities in Yemen have arrived on Djibouti's shores," the International Organization for Migration wrote on X on Sunday.

The UN body told AFP that the first arrivals landed on Thursday evening.

The small Horn of Africa country's minister of economy and finance Ilyas Moussa Dawaleh had put the figure at about 1,400 people on Saturday.

Djibouti lies opposite Yemen across the Bab Al Mandab strait, which has become an important artery for Saudi Arabian oil exports after Iran began its blockade on the Strait of Hormuz at the start of the Middle East war.

Among Africa's least populous nations at around a million inhabitants, Djibouti is a favoured transit point for migrants leaving the continent in the hopes of reaching the oil-rich Gulf states.

According to the UN, at least 76,000 people have been displaced in Yemen by the fighting since July, with that number quadrupling in the last week as a result of the Houthi offensive.

Across its 23,000 square kilometres, Djibouti is home to military bases from the United States, China, Japan, France and Italy eyeing the Bab al-Mandab strait.

Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen overnight claimed new attacks on neighbouring Saudi Arabia, as Yemen's Saudi-backed government described the rebels' swift advance along the Red Sea coast as a “painful” development in a new front in the Iran war.

The Houthis' capture of a key port city and an island on the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a crucial shipping alternative to the Strait of Hormuz, in recent days has alarmed markets and Yemeni civilians who fear a return to devastating civil war.

Overnight, the Houthis claimed more attacks with missiles and drones on Saudi Arabia, which supports Yemen's internationally recognised government that's been fighting the rebels.

A Houthi military spokesperson, Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree, claimed in a statement that they targeted a military base in Sharurah province in Saudi Arabia's Najran region. He didn’t provide evidence or say when the attack occurred.

The Saudi civil defense overnight said a projectile fell in al-Tawwal governorate near the border with Yemen along the Red Sea, injuring two people and damaging a mosque and several other buildings. The statement blamed the Houthis. It also said sirens went off in Sharurah province but didn’t report casualties or damage.

There was no Saudi statement Sunday on any new attacks targeting the Houthis, who have been hitting Saudi oil infrastructure and shipping as part of a recently declared blockade.

Flaring fighting between government forces and Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen has displaced nearly 86,000 people, the United Nations said Sunday, with the number surging by 10,000 from a day earlier.

"Displacement in Yemen, the Arab world's poorest country, has now reached 85,818 people," the International Organization for Migration said in a statement, a day after putting the number of people displaced since July at 76,000.

The UN agency stressed that more than 82,000 of those displaced had been forced to flee their homes since the start of September, when the Houthis, who have for years controlled large parts of northern Yemen, launched their large-scale offensive against Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces.

Kuwait stressed Sunday the importance of the international community assuming its responsibilities by urging Israel, the occupying power, to accede to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).

Kuwait also stressed the need to keep the issue of "Israeli nuclear capabilities" on the agenda of the IAEA and its relevant bodies until serious and effective steps are taken to address the situation. This came in a speech delivered by Kuwait's Permanent Representative to the UN and other international organisations in Vienna, Ambassador Fawaz Buresli, during discussions on "Any Other Business" at the conclusion of the IAEA Board of Governors meeting held in Vienna from Sept 7-11.

Buresli reaffirmed Kuwait's commitment to establishing a Middle East zone free of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction, in line with the 1995 NPT Review and Extension Conference resolution and the outcomes of the 2000 and 2010 Review Conferences.

US President Donald Trump said Sunday he does not "care" about a proposed meeting between Iran and Gulf states to discuss the Strait of Hormuz amid the ongoing American conflict with Tehran.

"I don't care. That's up to them," the US leader told reporters during a visit to Ireland when asked about Monday's planned meeting in Oman.

Saudi Arabia’s Civil Defence said an early warning system has been activated in Abha and Khamis Mushait, both in the southwestern Asir region.

The alert was issued to warn residents of a potential threat and enable them to take necessary safety precautions.

Residents in the affected areas were urged to remain alert and follow instructions issued by the relevant authorities.

Saudi Arabia's civil defence agency sent alerts warning of potential attacks in two regions bordering Yemen on Sunday, with its southern neighbour gripped by renewed war.

The alerts, which were for the city of Abha and the region around Khamis Mushait, were quickly lifted. It came shortly after Houthi media reported Saudi strikes in the north of Yemen, close to the border.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Sunday confirmed that one Indian seafarer is missing after an attack on commercial vessel MT El Gaia off the coast of Oman.

“We condemn the attack on the commercial vessel MT El Gaia off the coast of Oman earlier today. Of the 14 Indian crew onboard, 13 Indians have been rescued so far. Search and Rescue operations for the missing Indian national are continuing,” the MEA stated.

According to the ministry, the Indian Embassy in Oman is closely monitoring the situation and proactively coordinating with the Omani authorities in the ongoing Search and Rescue operation.

Iraq announced on Sunday a phased reopening of three major border crossings with neighbouring Iran, following administrative and technical reviews to enhance security and streamline border movement.

According to a statement by the Security Media Cell (SMC), affiliated with the Iraqi Joint Operations Command, the decision was made under the directives of Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi to upgrade organisational and technical infrastructure at the Shalamcheh, Mandali, and al-Sheeb border crossings, Xinhua News Agency reported.

India on Sunday condemned the attack on Panama-flagged commercial vessel MT El Gaia off the coast of Oman, saying 13 of the 14 Indian crew members onboard have been rescued while search and rescue operations continue for the one missing Indian national.

The Ministry of External Affairs said the Indian Embassy in Oman is closely monitoring the situation and coordinating with Omani authorities in the ongoing search and rescue operation.

“We condemn the attack on the commercial vessel MT El Gaia off the coast of Oman earlier today. Of the 14 Indian crew onboard, 13 Indians have been rescued so far. Search and Rescue operations for the missing Indian national are continuing,” the MEA said in a statement.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, who travelled to India to attend the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi, departed for Tehran, the Iranian Embassy in India said on Sunday.

“President Masoud Pezeshkian, who travelled to India to attend the BRICS Summit, has just departed New Delhi for Tehran,” the Embassy stated on X, sharing a glimpse of Pezeshkian’s departure.

Prior to his departure, Pezeshkian said that he is looking forward to seeing Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Iran very soon.

“Goodbye, my dear friend. I look forward to seeing you in Iran very soon,” the Iranian Embassy stated on X, sharing a picture of Pezeshkian and PM Modi.

Yemen's Houthis said Sunday that Saudi Arabia had launched more than 50 strikes against their positions in 24 hours, after the Iran-backed group claimed a rare drone and missile attack on a military base in the kingdom.

The Houthis have been engaged in renewed fighting with Saudi-backed government forces since Yemen's civil war reignited in July, when the group declared a maritime blockade on Saudi Arabia and began targeting its ships in the Red Sea.

The latest clashes follow a week-long Houthi offensive that culminated in the group capturing Yemen's Red Sea coast, cementing their hold on the Bab al-Mandab Strait.

The waterway is a vital artery for Saudi oil exports as the Strait of Hormuz remains closed amid the US-Iran war. 

Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi said: "The regional meeting scheduled to take place tomorrow in Salalah has been postponed until a later date to ensure appropriate conditions for constructive dialogue that can help achieve sustainable understandings, support regional security and stability, and meet the aspirations of the region’s peoples for cooperation and peace."

Iran’s foreign ministry official said that the postponement comes at a request by some regional countries, and is a joint decision by Tehran and Muscat.

Israeli minister calls to strip award-winning film directors of citizenship

Iranian media reports a powerful explosion near the coast of Sirik in Hormozgan, southeastern Iran.

Oil prices fell in early trading Monday after a sharp weekly advance, but remained elevated as fresh reports of attacks on shipping and a temporary shutdown of a major Saudi pipeline kept supply concerns at the forefront.

The screenshot shows West Texas Intermediate crude at $100.00 a barrel, down $2.43, or 2.37% at around 7.30am Tokyo.

Brent crude, the global benchmark, stood at $104.60, down $3.02, or 2.81%. Murban crude fell $3.02, or 2.47%, to $119.50.

Following the postponement of a scheduled meeting between Iran and Gulf nations slated for Monday in Oman, Iranian state media reported that the measure was executed upon the direct solicitation of select neighbouring governments.

According to Iranian state media, the rescheduling represented a mutual resolution finalised collectively by Tehran and Muscat.

“The meeting was postponed at the request of some regional countries in a decision jointly made by Tehran and Muscat,” the Fars news agency reported, citing an official attached to the Iranian foreign ministry.

At least eight women are now facing death sentences in Iranian prisons, including four whose cases are linked to nationwide protests that erupted in January, the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, or HRANA, reported.

The cases add to growing alarm over what rights groups describe as an intensifying campaign of executions and capital prosecutions against protesters and political detainees, as per Iran International.

Four of the women — Maryam Hadavand, Mahnaz Chardouli, Leila Abolhasani and Taraneh Rahimi — were sentenced to death in cases tied to the January demonstrations, HRANA said.

Hadavand, 45, a mother of two, was arrested after events in Pakdasht, southeast of Tehran, on Jan. 8. HRANA said she was convicted on accusations including involvement in the deaths of two Basij members, setting fire to a religious site, damaging public property, and assembly and collusion against national security.

The loss of the Ali al-Taher heights in southern Lebanon, also known as Hamas Heights, to Israeli forces has triggered a fierce political fight in Tehran, with Iranian hardliners accusing the negotiators of a June agreement with Washington of failing to protect Hezbollah’s Lebanese front.

Israel said it had destroyed more than 2km of underground Hezbollah infrastructure beneath the strategic ridge, including a command complex, weapons storage sites and living quarters.

The operation came after the Israeli military declared “operational control” over the area above and below ground. Ali al-Taher overlooks Nabatieh in southern Lebanon and has long been viewed as a strategically important Hezbollah position.

The ridge sits roughly 15 km from the Israeli border and north of the Litani River, an area central to the group’s military presence in southern Lebanon. Israeli forces announced that they had taken operational control of the ridge on Sept. 3. On Sept. 10, they destroyed the underground network in a major detonation, which Israeli officials said completed the consolidation of a security zone in the area.

A US Air Force colonel shot down over Iran in April said he prayed as he plunged toward the ground after an Iranian shoulder-fired missile damaged his parachute.

The officer, identified by the call sign “Bravo,” was the weapons-systems officer aboard an F-15E Strike Eagle, part of a two-person crew on a mission known as “Dude 44.” The pilot was identified by the call sign “Alpha.”

The aircraft was shot down over a mountainous desert area of Iran, separating the two airmen. Bravo said he fell at an estimated 70 to 100 mph (112 to 161 kph) after the missile damaged his parachute.

“At one point when I looked up and saw no parachute, that was the most terrifying thing I’ve ever seen,” Bravo said in his first public account of the incident.

He said he paused and prayed as he fell. “Lord, your will be done. But if I’m getting through this, I need help,” he recalled saying.

Bravo survived the fall but was left behind enemy lines, separated from his pilot and facing the challenge of surviving in unfamiliar terrain while awaiting help.

The account offers a rare first-person description of what happened to one of the US airmen whose F-15E was shot down during the fighting with Iran.

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