US-Israel attacks on Iran: Houthis enter war, raising risks to global oil supply and shipping routes

Iran-backed Houthis joined the month-long Middle East conflict, claiming they launched two missiles at Israel.

Around 2,500 US Marines have reached the region, while Pakistan announced that key regional powers will meet on Sunday to explore ways to halt the fighting.

The war has disrupted global oil and gas supplies, triggered fertiliser shortages, and affected air travel. Iran’s control over the Strait of Hormuz has unsettled markets and driven up prices.

The United States and Israel continue to target Iran, which has responded with strikes on Israel and nearby Gulf Arab states. The death toll has crossed 3,000.

The Houthis’ involvement could further disrupt global shipping, particularly if they resume attacks in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait in the Red Sea — a route that carries roughly 12% of global trade.

There may be slight relief after Iran agreed Friday, following a UN appeal, to allow humanitarian and agricultural shipments through the Strait of Hormuz. US President Donald Trump has set an April 6 deadline for Tehran to fully reopen the passage.

Witnesses in Tehran reported intense strikes late Saturday. Israel earlier said it had hit Iranian naval weapons facilities and expects to complete strikes on key production sites within days. Iran, in turn, fired missiles toward Israel, while the US claims to have struck over 11,000 Iranian targets. Ukraine’s president also visited Gulf nations, offering drone support.

Houthi Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree said on Al-Masirah TV that missiles were launched at sensitive Israeli military sites in the south. Analysts warn that renewed Houthi attacks on shipping could drive oil prices higher and threaten maritime security beyond the energy sector.

The Bab el-Mandeb Strait remains a vital route to the Suez Canal. With Hormuz largely shut, Saudi Arabia has been routing millions of barrels of crude through it daily.

Between November 2023 and January 2025, the Houthis targeted over 100 merchant vessels, sinking two, in what they said was support for Palestinians in Gaza, where Israel is conducting genocide, killing over 72,000, mostly women and children.

Iran says over 1,900 people have died within its borders, while Israel has reported 19 deaths.

In Lebanon, more than 1,100 people have been killed amid Israel’s southern offensive against Hezbollah. Iraq has reported 80 security personnel killed, while Gulf states have recorded 20 deaths. Four people have also been killed in the occupied West Bank.