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Israel carried out airstrikes on Yemen’s port city of Hodeida on Tuesday, prompting Iran-backed Houthi rebels to activate their air defenses. The Israeli military said it targeted “military infrastructure” at the Hodeida port, claiming it was being used by the Houthis to transfer Iranian weapons for attacks against Israel and its allies. “Our air defenses are currently confronting Israeli aircraft launching aggression against our country,” Houthi spokesperson Yahya Saree wrote on X. He added that Houthi defenses “caused great confusion” for Israeli fighter jets, forcing some formations to withdraw before carrying out deeper strikes inside Yemen. Funerals for slain journalists The latest strikes came as hundreds attended funerals in Sanaa for 31 Yemeni journalists reportedly killed in Israeli airstrikes last week. Those attacks followed a Houthi drone strike that penetrated Israel’s air defenses and hit a southern Israeli airport, injuring one person. According to the Houthi-run health ministry, last week’s Israeli strikes killed dozens in Sanaa, including the journalists, and damaged residential areas, a military headquarters, a fuel station, and the National Museum of Yemen. A government facility in Hazm, the capital of northern Jawf province, was also hit. Israel said the strikes targeted Houthi intelligence and propaganda facilities, as well as a fuel depot. Al-Masirah TV broadcast Tuesday’s funerals, showing coffins carried into a mosque. Despite what mourners described as a “huge loss,” turnout was lower than expected, with heavy rain blamed for keeping many away. Concerns for press freedom The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) said it is still working to verify the reported deaths but noted that strict Houthi censorship makes confirmation difficult. Human Rights Watch added that Israeli strikes also hit a media center in Sanaa housing two newspapers, calling it another example of the grave risks facing journalists in Yemen. The Houthis, who say their attacks are in solidarity with Palestinians amid the war in Gaza, have been targeting Israel with drones and missiles, and striking ships in the Red Sea for more than 22 months.

Israel launched another round of heavy airstrikes in Yemen on Wednesday, killing at least 35 people and wounding more than 130, just days after Houthi rebels carried out a drone attack on an Israeli airport, according to the Houthi-run health ministry. Rescue teams continued searching through the rubble. Most of the casualties were reported in Sanaa, Yemen’s capital, where a military headquarters and a fuel station were among the sites hit. Al-Masirah, a Houthi-controlled news channel, said nearby homes were also damaged. Houthi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree said rebels fired surface-to-air missiles at Israeli jets in response. The strikes came amid rising international scrutiny of Israel’s ongoing offensive in Gaza. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said she would push for sanctions and a partial trade suspension against Israel over its operations in the Gaza Strip. The EU remains divided on the issue. Israel has urged around 1 million Palestinians to evacuate Gaza City as it steps up its offensive targeting Hamas’ remaining stronghold, while the Gaza Health Ministry reported 41 more deaths and 184 injuries in the past 24 hours, including 12 people seeking humanitarian aid. Thousands remain displaced, struggling with limited food, shelter, and fuel. The war in Gaza began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas militants attacked southern Israel, killing over 1,200 people and abducting 251. Israel’s retaliatory campaign has so far killed more than 64,600 Palestinians, with women and children accounting for about half of the deaths, according to Gaza authorities. Meanwhile, Israel’s strike on Qatar, a U.S. ally, targeting senior Hamas figures drew widespread condemnation and added to Israel’s diplomatic isolation. Hamas said its senior leaders survived the attack, though several bodyguards were killed. The humanitarian situation in Gaza is worsening, with famine declared in parts of the city. Von der Leyen described it as a “man-made famine” and urged immediate action to protect civilians, especially children. Israel maintains that it allows sufficient humanitarian aid and blames Hamas for civilian casualties.

Yemen’s Houthi rebels launched a prolonged attack on a Liberian-flagged cargo ship in the Red Sea on Tuesday, following their claim of sinking another vessel earlier this week — a series of incidents that threaten to escalate tensions and reignite conflict in the strategically vital waterway. According to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) center, the Greek-owned bulk carrier Eternity C remained “surrounded by small craft and is under continuous attack.” At least two people aboard the ship were reported injured, and two others were missing as of Tuesday. The ship, which was heading north toward the Suez Canal, came under assault late Monday by men in small boats and bomb-laden drones. Security personnel on board returned fire in defense, according to reports from the European Union’s anti-piracy mission Operation Atalanta and private maritime security firm Ambrey. Though the Houthis have not officially claimed responsibility for this latest incident, Yemen’s exiled government and EU officials have squarely blamed the Iran-backed rebel group for the attack. Just two days earlier, the Houthis targeted another Liberian-flagged, Greek-owned bulk carrier, Magic Seas, using drones, missiles, rocket-propelled grenades, and small arms fire. The 22-member crew was forced to abandon the vessel, which the rebels later said had sunk in the Red Sea. The back-to-back attacks, combined with Israeli airstrikes targeting Houthi positions early Monday, have raised concerns about the potential for a renewed Houthi campaign against commercial shipping. Israel launches airstrikes on Yemen’s Houthis; rebels retaliate with missile fire Such a campaign could again prompt a military response from U.S. and Western forces, as seen during the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, which launched airstrikes against the group. These developments unfold at a critical juncture in the region. A possible ceasefire in the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict remains uncertain, and Iran is reportedly weighing its options about returning to nuclear negotiations following U.S. strikes on its key nuclear sites during the brief Israel-Iran conflict in June. The Houthis, who control much of northern Yemen, have continued to justify their maritime attacks as a means to pressure Israel to halt its offensive in Gaza. From November 2023 to January 2025, the group targeted over 100 merchant ships with missiles and drones, sinking two and killing four sailors.  Their actions have significantly disrupted trade along the Red Sea corridor, a route that typically facilitates $1 trillion in annual global commerce. Although Red Sea shipping had begun to recover in recent weeks, the recent Houthi attacks could threaten that progress. The rebels had paused maritime assaults since the U.S. launched a major campaign against them in mid-March, but their latest attacks mark a potential return to hostilities. However, they had continued sporadic missile launches targeting Israel during that period

Strange, contorted trees stretch toward a sky so vast it feels unworldly. Bare, jagged cliffs rise from a stark, wind-blasted terrain that seems untouched by time or civilisation. Crystalline waters border bizarre landforms, creating a surreal contrast. Among the world’s many awe-inspiring locations, from Africa’s endless sands to North America’s ancient canyons. Few evoke such profound disbelief as this remote island. Long whispered about in niche travel circles, it now draws increasing global attention. The name? Socotra, locally known as Saqatri. Let’s uncover what's behind this alien-looking island in the Indian Ocean that draws modern explorers. Geography of Socotra Tucked between the Guardafui Channel and the Arabian Sea, Socotra forms the largest island in a six-island archipelago. While it falls under Yemen's political boundary, its proximity to Africa gives it a different geographic rhythm. Just 236 miles south of the Arabian Peninsula, this closeness shapes its distinct character. This remote outpost stands among the most isolated continental landmasses on Earth. It parted ways with the ancient supercontinent of Gondwana millions of years ago. That deep-time isolation shaped its singular environment. Read more: Chongqing, The 3D City: Chinese Megacity Looking Like AI-Generated The island is renowned for its extraordinary biodiversity. Many species found here exist nowhere else on the planet, drawing scientific and ecological interest from across the globe. This exceptional natural wealth earned it UNESCO World Heritage status in 2008, marking it as a vital ecological treasure. Unique Landscape and Discrete Demography The distinctiveness of this ancient island lies in its terrain, with Socotra shaped over millennia by time, climate, and isolation. Towering limestone plateaus stretch across the island, rising above arid plains and wind-carved dunes. At the heart of it all, a central mountain range climbs to nearly 5,000 feet. It offers an imposing backdrop to an otherwise barren interior. The terrain breaks into elevations that shift with the landscape. Dry mountains and scattered vegetation tell a stark story of nature’s endurance. This archipelago, over 25 million years old, balances contrasting features- coastal plains brushing against desert stretches, and rocky plateaus giving way to shrub-covered slopes. But what sets Socotra apart is its inimitable biological character. Nearly one-third of its plant species are endemic, including the most iconic locale- the Dragon’s Blood Tree. This umbrella-shaped marvel, known for its crimson resin, casts haunting silhouettes throughout the horizon, lending the landmass its surreal, alien quality. Read more: Wales’s Stream in the Sky: World’s Tallest Navigable Aqueduct Pontcysyllte Despite its remoteness, Socotra is home to a modest community of approximately 60,000 people. The Socotrans speak Soqotri, a pre-Arabic language that survives only here. Their cultural fabric, enriched by centuries of isolation, is preserved through an annual poetry competition.

On Monday, Israel’s military launched a series of intense airstrikes against Houthi rebels in Yemen’s Red Sea province of Hodeida, resulting in at least one death and 35 injuries. The attacks followed the rebels’ missile strike a day earlier that hit Israel’s main airport. According to the Houthis’ media office, at least six airstrikes targeted the vital Hodeida port during the afternoon. Additional strikes reportedly hit a cement plant in the Bajil district, located about 55 kilometers (34 miles) northeast of Hodeida city. The full extent of the damage at both sites remains unknown. The Israeli military confirmed that over 20 fighter jets participated in the assault, releasing more than 50 bombs on multiple targets. Residents in Hodeida reported hearing loud explosions at the port, with smoke and flames visible in the area. They also said ambulance sirens echoed throughout the city. “The blasts were extremely powerful,” said Ahmed Saleh, a local resident living near the port. In Bajil, fires and thick columns of smoke were seen over the cement factory, which the Houthis said was hit by both U.S. and Israeli strikes. Ambulances also rushed to the area, said resident Khalid Seif. The Houthi-run health ministry said at least one person was killed and 35 others were wounded in the Israeli strikes on the factory. It said rescuers were still searching for missing people. On Sunday, the Houthis launched a missile from Yemen that struck an access road near Israel’s main airport, briefly halting flights and commuter traffic. Four people were lightly injured. It was the first time a missile struck the grounds of Israel’s airport since the start of the war. The Houthis claimed that the strikes were a joint Israeli-American operation. However, a U.S. defense official said U.S. forces did not participate in the Israeli strikes on Yemen on Monday. The strikes were not part of Operation Rough Rider, which is the ongoing U.S. military operation against the Houthis in Yemen to prevent them from targeting ships in the Red Sea that started March 15. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters. Iran's top diplomat holds talks in Pakistan to mediate in escalation with India over Kashmir attack Separately, the U.S. military launched multiple strikes Monday on Sanaa, another U.S. official said. That official also spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss military operations. Nasruddin Amer, head of the Houthi media office, said the Israeli strikes won’t deter the rebels, vowing they will respond to the attack. “The aggressive Zionist-American raids on civilian facilities will not affect our military operations against the Zionist enemy entity,” he said on social media. He said the Houthis will escalate their attacks and won’t stop targeting shipping routes and Israel until it stops the war in Gaza. The Houthis have targeted Israel throughout the war in solidarity with Palestinians, raising their profile at home and internationally as the last member of Iran’s self-described “Axis of Resistance” capable of launching regular attacks on Israel. The U.S. military under President Donald Trump has launched an intensified campaign of daily airstrikes targeting the Houthis since March 15. Houthi rebels have fired at Israel since the war with Gaza began on Oct. 7, 2023. The missiles have mostly been intercepted, although some have penetrated Israel’s missile defense systems, causing damage. Israel has struck back against the rebels in Yemen. The Israeli military said it targeted the Hodeida port because Houthi rebels were using it to receive weapons and military equipment from Iran. Rebel-held Hodeida, about 145 kilometers (90 miles) southwest of the capital Sanaa, has been key for food shipments into Yemen as its decade-long war continues. Israel has struck Yemen, and specifically the port city of Hodeida, multiple times. It previously struck Hodeida and its oil infrastructure in July after a Houthi drone attack killed one person and wounded 10 in Tel Aviv. In September, Israel struck Hodeida again, killing at least four people after a rebel missile targeted Israel’s Ben Gurion airport as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was arriving back to the country. In December, Israeli strikes killed at least nine people in Hodeida. The Houthis have launched multiple missiles toward Israel in the past week. The attack on Ben-Gurion International Airport on Sunday came hours before Israeli Cabinet ministers voted to expand the war in Gaza, including to seize the Gaza Strip and to stay in the Palestinian territory for an unspecified amount of time. While air traffic resumed after an hour, the attack could lead to cancelations of many airlines, which had recently resumed flights to Israel.    

Yemen’s Houthi rebels on Monday alleged a U.S. airstrike hit a prison holding African migrants, killing at least 68 people and wounding 47 others. The U.S. military had no immediate comment. The strike in Yemen's Saada governorate, a stronghold for the Houthis, is the latest incident in the country's decadelong war to kill African migrants from Ethiopia and other nations who risk crossing the nation for a chance to work in neighboring Saudi Arabia. It also likely will renew questions from activists about the American campaign, known as “Operation Rough Rider,” which has been targeting the rebels as the Trump administration negotiates with their main benefactor, Iran, over Tehran's rapidly advancing nuclear program. More than 100 immigrants detained at an illegal after-hours nightclub in Colorado The U.S. military's Central Command, in a statement early Monday before news of the alleged strike broke, sought to defend its policy of offering no specific details of its extensive airstrike campaign. The strikes have drawn controversy in America over Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's use of the unclassified Signal messaging app to post sensitive details about the attacks. “To preserve operational security, we have intentionally limited disclosing details of our ongoing or future operations,” Central Command said. “We are very deliberate in our operational approach, but will not reveal specifics about what we’ve done or what we will do.” It did not immediately respond to questions from The Associated Press about the alleged strike in Saada. Graphic footage shows aftermath of explosion Graphic footage aired by the Houthis' al-Masirah satellite news channel showed what appeared to be dead bodies and others wounded at the site. The Houthi-run Interior Ministry said some 115 migrants had been detained at the site. The rebels' Civil Defense organization said at least 68 people had been killed and 47 others wounded in the attack. Footage from the site analyzed by the AP suggested some kind of explosion took place there, with its cement walls seemingly peppered by debris fragments and the wounds suffered by those there. A woman's voice, soft in the footage, can be heard repeating the start of a prayer in Arabic: “In the name of God.” An occasional gunshot rang out as medics sought to help those wounded. African migrants caught in middle of Yemen's war Ethiopians and other African migrants for years have landed in Yemen, braving the war-torn nation to try and reach Saudi Arabia for work. The Houthi rebels allegedly make tens of thousands of dollars a week smuggling migrants over the border. Migrants from Ethiopia have found themselves detained, abused and even killed in Saudi Arabia and Yemen during the war. An Oct. 3, 2022, letter to the kingdom from the U.N. said its investigators “received concerning allegations of cross-border artillery shelling and small arms fire allegedly by Saudi security forces, causing the deaths of up to 430 and injuring 650 migrants.” Saudi Arabia has denied killing migrants. Monday's alleged strike recalled a similar strike by a Saudi-led coalition battling the Houthis back in 2022 on the same compound, which caused a collapse killing 66 detainees and wounding 113 others, a United Nations report later said. The Houthis shot dead 16 detainees who fled after the strike and wounded another 50, the U.N. said. The Saudi-led coalition sought to justify the strike by saying the Houthis built and launched drones there, but the U.N. said it was known to be a detention facility. “The coalition should have avoided any attack on that facility,” the U.N. report added. That 2022 attack was one of the deadliest single attacks in the yearslong war between the coalition and the Houthi rebels and came after the Houthis struck inside the UAE twice with missiles and drones, killing three in a strike near Abu Dhabi's international airport. US military says over 800 strikes conducted in campaign so far Meanwhile, U.S. airstrikes overnight targeting Yemen's capital killed at least eight people, the Houthis said. The American military acknowledged carrying out over 800 individual strikes in their monthlong campaign. The overnight statement from Central Command also said “Operation Rough Rider” had “killed hundreds of Houthi fighters and numerous Houthi leaders,” including those associated with its missile and drone program. It did not identify any of those officials. “Iran undoubtedly continues to provide support to the Houthis,” the statement said. “The Houthis can only continue to attack our forces with the backing of the Iranian regime.” "We will continue to ratchet up the pressure until the objective is met, which remains the restoration of freedom of navigation and American deterrence in the region," it added. The U.S. is targeting the Houthis because of the group’s attacks on shipping in the Red Sea, a crucial global trade route, and on Israel. The Houthis are also the last militant group in Iran’s self-described “Axis of Resistance” that is capable of regularly attacking Israel. US discusses deadly port strike The U.S. is conducting strikes on Yemen from its two aircraft carriers in the region — the USS Harry S. Truman in the Red Sea and the USS Carl Vinson in the Arabian Sea. On April 18, an American strike on the Ras Isa fuel port killed at least 74 people and wounded 171 others in the deadliest-known attack of the American campaign. Central Command on Monday offered an explanation for why it hit the port. “U.S. strikes destroyed the ability of Ras Isa Port to accept fuel, which will begin to impact Houthi ability to not only conduct operations, but also to generate millions of dollars in revenue for their terror activities,” it said. North Korea confirms it sent troops to Russia to support its war against Ukraine Meanwhile, the Houthis have increasingly sought to control the flow of information from the territory they hold to the outside world. It issued a notice Sunday that all those holding Starlink satellite internet receivers should “quickly hand over” the devices to authorities. “A field campaign will be implemented in coordination with the security authorities to arrest anyone who sells, trades, uses, operates, installs or possesses these prohibited terminals,” the Houthis warned. Starlink terminals have been crucial for Ukraine in fighting Russia’s full-scale invasion and receivers also have been smuggled into Iran amid unrest there.    

U.S. airstrikes targeting Yemen’s capital killed 12 people and wounded 30 others, the Houthi rebels said early Monday. Zelenskyy says Russia is trying to create an ‘impression of a ceasefire’ as attacks continue The deaths mark the latest in America’s intensified campaign of strikes targeting the rebels. The U.S. military’s Central Command declined to answer questions about the strike or discuss civilian casualties from its campaign. The Houthis described the strike as hitting the Farwa neighborhood market in Sanaa’s Shuub district. That area has been targeted before by the Americans. Footage aired by the Houthis’ al-Masirah satellite news channel showed damage to vehicles and buildings in the area, with screaming onlookers holding what appeared to be a dead child. Others wailed on stretchers heading into a hospital Strikes overnight into Monday also hit other areas of the country, including Yemen’s Amran, Hodeida, Marib and Saada governorates. The strikes come after U.S. airstrikes hit the Ras Isa fuel port in Yemen last week, killing at least 74 people and wounding 171 others. The strikes follow the resumption of negotiations in Rome between the U.S. and Iran over Tehran’s rapidly advancing nuclear program, which Washington has linked to its attacks in Yemen. The U.S. is targeting the Houthis because of the group’s attacks on shipping in the Red Sea, a crucial global trade route, and on Israel. The Houthis are the last militant group in Iran’s self-described “Axis of Resistance” that is capable of regularly attacking Israel. The new U.S. operation against the Houthis under Trump appears more extensive than attacks on the group were under President Joe Biden, an AP review found. The new campaign started after the rebels threatened to begin targeting “Israeli” ships again over Israel blocking aid from entering the Gaza Strip. From November 2023 until this January, the Houthis targeted more than 100 merchant vessels with missiles and drones, sinking two of them and killing four sailors. That has greatly reduced the flow of trade through the Red Sea corridor, which typically sees $1 trillion of goods move through it. The Houthis also launched attacks targeting American warships without success.  

President Donald Trump announced that he had ordered a series of airstrikes on Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen on Saturday, vowing to apply “overwhelming lethal force” until the Iranian-backed rebels cease attacks on shipping along a key maritime route. The Houthis claimed at least 18 civilians were killed. “Our brave Warfighters are currently conducting aerial assaults on terrorist bases, leaders, and missile defences to safeguard American shipping, air, and naval assets and to restore Navigational Freedom,” Trump stated on social media. “No terrorist force will prevent American commercial and naval vessels from freely navigating the Waterways of the World.” He also warned Iran against supporting the rebels, pledging to hold Tehran “fully accountable” for its proxy’s actions. This comes two weeks after Trump sent a letter to Iranian leaders proposing a pathway to resuming bilateral talks on Iran’s advancing nuclear programme. Trump has maintained he will not allow it to become operational. The Houthis reported explosions in their territory on Saturday evening, including in the capital, Sanaa, and in the northern province of Saada, the group’s stronghold near the Saudi border. Additional airstrikes were reported in these areas early Sunday. Online images showed plumes of black smoke rising over Sanaa’s airport complex, which houses a large military facility. Strikes were also reported in Hodeida, Bayda, and Marib provinces. Trump admin considers travel ban on 43 countries According to the Houthi-run health ministry, at least 18 people were killed—13 in Sanaa and five in Saada—while 24 others were wounded, including nine in Sanaa and 15 in Saada. A U.S. official confirmed the airstrikes mark the beginning of a sustained campaign targeting Houthi positions. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the strikes would continue. Nasruddin Amer, deputy head of the Houthi media office, asserted that the attacks would not weaken them and vowed retaliation against the U.S. “Sanaa will remain Gaza’s shield and support and will not abandon it, regardless of the challenges,” he posted on social media. Another spokesman, Mohamed Abdulsalam, dismissed Trump’s assertion that the Houthis pose a threat to international shipping, calling the claims “false and misleading” on X. The airstrikes come days after the Houthis announced they would resume attacks on Israeli vessels near Yemen in response to Israel’s latest blockade on Gaza. They warned that their actions would impact the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, and the Arabian Sea. Since then, no Houthi attacks have been reported. Earlier this month, Israel halted all aid into Gaza and warned of “additional consequences” for Hamas if the fragile ceasefire in the conflict is not extended, as negotiations continue on the next phase. Since the start of the Israel-Hamas war in late 2023, the Houthis have targeted over 100 merchant ships with missiles and drones, sinking two vessels and killing four sailors. These attacks, which persisted until the Gaza ceasefire in January, heightened the Houthis’ visibility amid ongoing economic and political challenges in Yemen’s decade-long war. The Houthi media office reported that U.S. strikes hit a residential area in Sanaa’s northern Shouab district. Residents described at least four powerful airstrikes in the Eastern Geraf neighbourhood, alarming civilians. “The explosions were intense,” said Abdallah al-Alffi. “It felt like an earthquake.” The Eastern Geraf district contains Houthi-held military installations and the rebels’ political bureau headquarters, located in a densely populated area. Fresh strikes were also reported late Saturday in Yemen’s southwestern Dhamar province. The Houthis said the attacks targeted the outskirts of Dhamar city and the district of Abs. The U.S., Israel, and Britain have previously launched strikes on Houthi-held territories in Yemen. Israel’s military declined to comment. However, Saturday’s operation was conducted exclusively by the U.S., according to an American official. It marks the first U.S. strike on the Houthis under Trump’s second administration. The Biden administration had previously launched similar missile strikes in response to frequent Houthi attacks on commercial and military vessels in the region. The USS Harry S. Truman carrier strike group, comprising the aircraft carrier, three Navy destroyers, and a cruiser, participated in Saturday’s mission. The USS Georgia cruise missile submarine has also been active in the region. Tensions between Iran and US rise as Trump sends letter to supreme leader Trump announced the strikes while spending the day at his Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida. “These relentless assaults have cost the U.S. and World Economy many BILLIONS of Dollars while, at the same time, putting innocent lives at risk,” he said.

A rocket launched from Yemen struck an area in Tel Aviv overnight, causing minor injuries to 16 individuals due to shattered glass from nearby windows, the Israeli military reported. Additionally, 14 more people sustained slight injuries while rushing to shelters after air raid sirens went off just before 4 a.m. Saturday, according to the military. Israel to close its Ireland Embassy amid Gaza tensions, Palestinian death toll hits 45,000 The incident occurred less than 48 hours after Israeli airstrikes targeted Yemen’s Houthi-controlled capital, Sanaa, and the port city of Hodeida. These strikes, which killed at least nine people, were in retaliation for a Houthi missile attack that hit an Israeli school building. The Houthis also claimed responsibility for a drone strike aimed at an undisclosed military site in central Israel on Thursday. The Israeli military stated that the Iran-backed Houthis have fired over 200 missiles and drones during the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza. The Houthis have also targeted shipping lanes in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, asserting that such attacks will continue until a ceasefire is reached in Gaza. Syrians celebrate during first Friday prayers since Assad’s ouster United Nations spokesman Stephane Dujarric noted that Thursday’s Israeli airstrikes inflicted “significant damage” on Houthi-controlled Red Sea ports, which could substantially impact port capacity. The port in Hodeida is crucial for food shipments to Yemen, a country plagued by a decade-long civil war. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that the escalating attacks from both sides could further destabilize the region and jeopardize U.N. mediation efforts.

Yemen’s warring sides began talks Saturday aimed at implementing a U.N.-brokered deal on a prisoner exchange, the United Nations said. The discussions between Yemen’s internationally recognized government and the Houthi rebels are talking place in Switzerland. They are co-chaired by U.N. envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg and the International Committee of the Red Cross. Grundberg urged both parties to “engage in serious and forthcoming discussions to agree on releasing as many detainees as possible,” according to a U.N. statement. Also Read: British navy seizes Iran missiles, parts likely Yemen bound “I urge the parties to fulfill the commitments they made, not just to each other, but also to the thousands of Yemeni families who have been waiting to be reunited with their loved ones for far too long,” he said. Yemen’s conflict erupted in 2014, when the Iran-backed Houthis seized the capital, Sanaa, and much of the country’s north. That prompted a Saudi-led coalition to intervene months later in a bid to restore the internationally recognized government to power. Jason Straziuso, a Geneva-based spokesperson for the ICRC, characterized the meeting as an opportunity to “reduce the humanitarian suffering associated with this conflict.” “If more detainees are released, it will be welcome news for families that can be re-united with loved ones,” he said. Majed Fadail, Yemen's deputy minister for human rights and a member of the government delegation, said the talks would last for 11 days, the government-run SABA news agency reported. He said they were eager to release all war prisoners to help achieve a “lasting and comprehensive peace” in Yemen. Abdul-Qader el-Murtaza, the head of the Houthi delegation, said they hoped that this round of talks proves “decisive.” The talks are a follow-up to a 2018 agreement that demanded that both parties release all those detained in relation to the conflict “without any exceptions or conditions.” The Detainees’ Exchange Agreement was part of a wider U.N.-brokered deal that ended months of fighting over the crucial Red Sea city of Hodeida four years ago. Since then, the two parties have released many prisoners with a major exchange taking place in October 2020 and involving more than 1,000 detainees from both sides. The conflict has created one of the world’s worst humanitarian disasters and has become in recent years a proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran. The Yemen talks in Switzerland began a day after Iran and Saudi Arabia announced a China-brokered deal to re-establish diplomatic ties after years of frayed ties and hostilities.