Middle East War

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The US has made progress in reopening the Strait of Hormuz, but the Iran war is far from over In recent weeks, the United States has succeeded in loosening Iran’s grip over the Strait of Hormuz while virtually shutting down Iran’s own oil exports, accelerating its economic free fall. But low-level fighting persists, the U.S. does not seem to have an exit strategy and the stalemate is costly for both sides. Read more.

Why this matters: The mounting economic pressure on Iran has yet to stoke an uprising, and if its leaders are backed into a corner, they may opt for military escalation rather than capitulation. Their Houthi allies in Yemen have meanwhile stepped up attacks on Saudi Arabia, helping to push oil prices back up. The price of a barrel of Brent crude surged above $100 this week, and diesel — heavily used in transport and farming — hit a record, potentially stoking inflation. President Donald Trump has acknowledged that gas prices are likely to stay high through the midterm congressional elections.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤ US diesel prices soar past $6 a gallon Saudi airstrikes hit Yemen’s rebel-held Mokha airport as Houthis take an island near a key strait  Yemen risks a return to civil war as Iran-backed rebels target a vital oil shipping route

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Saudi Arabia shuts down a pipeline as Houthis seize an island, opening a new front in the Iran war

CAIRO (AP) — Saudi Arabia said Friday it shut down a major pipeline a day after it was attacked by drones, and Yemen’s Iranian-backed Houthi rebels captured a strategic island at the southern entrance to the Red Sea, two officials said, opening a new front in the Iran war.

https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthis-iran-mokha-mandeb-shipping-saudi-025d052a14d9481258d51009a76d0bd6?

Nearly 50,000 Yemeni civilians flee as Houthis advance along Red Sea coast

Global struggle for control of Bab al-Mandab strait threatens to turn Yemen’s on-off conflict into a forever war

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/sep/12/yemen-houthi-advance-red-sea-coast-displaces-civilians-bab-al-mandab?

Saudi Arabia shuts down key oil pipeline, blaming drones from Iraq

Riyadh has increased use of East-West pipeline since start of war on Iran to bypass closure of strait of Hormuz

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/sep/12/saudi-arabia-shuts-down-oil-pipeline-blaming-drones-from-iraq?

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Users in Houthi-held Yemen tried to develop advanced weapons with AI, Anthropic says

Anthropic says Claude users in northern Yemen, territory controlled by Iran-backed Houthi rebels, tried to use the AI model to develop advanced missiles. Anthropic said the users of the accounts, which it blocked after identifying them, did not succeed in “fielding an operational device” but did carry out a failed test of a guided rocket. It said it knows that because the users returned to its Claude chatbot to find out why it failed. Hazam al-Assad, a member of the Houthis’ political bureau, said it is “unreasonable and illogical” that they would rely on open sources to develop and produce military capabilities. Read more.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤

Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei says AI industry needs to give safety measures time to catch up Strike on Iranian cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz kills 1, Iranian media say Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen claim new attacks on Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia has few options as it faces mounting threats from Iran and its allies People fleeing Iran-backed rebels’ advance in Yemen describe a ‘hysterical panic’

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Fighting in Yemen intensifies, and Houthis launch more attacks on Saudi Arabia

The conflict in Yemen intensified on Sunday, as government forces launched attacks against Iran-backed Houthi rebels along the Red Sea and Houthis fired into neighboring Saudi Arabia, which supports Yemen’s government. Read More.

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Saudi Arabia Faces Militant Attacks

Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen captured two islands in the Red Sea yesterday. The seizure of Greater and Lesser Hanish further compromised Saudi Arabia’s ability to bypass the Strait of Hormuz and deliver oil through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait (see more, w/map). The kingdom and allied Gulf states postponed planned talks with Iran Sunday amid the uptick in attacks. Houthis say their recent strikes, including on a Saudi military base yesterday, are retaliation for hundreds of airstrikes by the kingdom. Separately, Saudi Arabia faces attacks from Iranian-backed militants in Iraq, forcing the kingdom to close its East-West Pipeline for weeks amid repairs (see satellite images). The roughly 750-mile-long pipeline reroutes 4% of global oil to the Red Sea, feeding shipments to the Bab el-Mandeb. President Donald Trump reportedly rejected Saudi calls last week to participate in Saudi airstrikes against the Houthis. The dayslong uptick in fighting has reportedly killed more than 500 people and displaced nearly 94,000 others, threatening a return to pre-2022 levels of violence (see history).

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What the closure of Saudi Arabia’s East-West pipeline could mean for oil flows A crucial Saudi oil pipeline that was struck in an attack will be mostly out of service for weeks as the damage is repaired, two regional officials said Monday. Analysts warn that the latest disruptions could bring even more pain for consumers. Read more.

Why this matters: The pipeline was built in the 1980s amid fears that Tehran would disrupt shipping through the Strait of Hormuz during the Iran-Iraq war. And for the first six months of the current war, it was crucial to getting some crude out of the Middle East by shipping it to the Red Sea rather than through Hormuz, where traffic remained at a standstill. Rystad Energy said Monday that an average 2.6 million to 4 million barrels of oil a day moved through the pipeline since late August — a volume it said is now at risk of “disappearing from the market.” Four million barrels per day is about 4% of the global oil supply, according to the International Energy Agency.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤ As the last US troops pack up in Iraq, militias signal their weapons will stay  US watchdog tallies Iran war’s hit to weapons stockpiles, military bases and more  Fuel shortage in Yemen hampers migrants fleeing conflict and seeking safety in Djibouti

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Saudi crown prince seeks Egypt’s backing as Houthi attacks rattle Red Sea oil routes

Saudi Arabia’s crown prince sought backing Tuesday from the president of Egypt, his ally across the Red Sea, as the kingdom faces increased attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels on Saudi shipping and infrastructure that have helped drive a surge in global oil prices. Read More.

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⚡ Scoop: Trump plans Gulf summit on Iran

President Trump is expected to hold a meeting with Gulf leaders on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York on Tuesday to discuss the next steps in the war with Iran, Axios' Barak Ravid scoops.

• Why it matters: The meeting is expected to focus on U.S. ideas for a postwar strategy as Trump and his senior team work on a day-after plan expected to be finalized after the midterms.

The sources said Trump will meet with leaders or foreign ministers from the Gulf Cooperation Council countries — Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman.

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Tens of thousands flee as Iran-backed rebels draw Yemen into the wider war More than 125,000 people in Yemen have fled as the Iran-backed rebels advanced down the Red Sea coast to a key maritime chokepoint. The offensive, linked to the wider Iran war, has threatened Saudi oil exports, pushed up global fuel prices and rattled markets. Read more.

What to know: A Saudi-led blockade, along with the Houthis’ repressive rule and detention of U.N. and aid workers, has made life miserable in the now-expanding territory under rebel control. Yemen’s Saudi-backed government, weak and fragmented, has struggled to push them back. As the Houthis continue to make headlines, I found this explainer by our colleague Joseph Krauss on why Yemen’s Houthis have only grown stronger through years of war particularly helpful. Do you have a question about the Houthis, Yemen or the wider conflict with Iran? Email us here and we’ll put your questions to our reporters.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤ UN-backed experts cite possible US war crimes in Iran strikes  Saudis seek allies’ help as missile defenses run low in fight with Houthis, officials say  WATCH: Yemeni families flee fighting

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Saudi civil defense says falling debris from intercepted Houthi drone kills 1

CAIRO (AP) — Debris from an intercepted Houthi drone has killed a Yemeni resident of Saudi Arabia, the Saudi civil defense said Thursday. It is the first civilian casualty since the Iran-backed rebels have increased their attacks against the kingdom, targeting Saudi shipping and oil facilities.

https://apnews.com/article/yemen-saudi-arabia-houthi-drone-d29f7fb71331bea0098cbdb38d7577e0?

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Trump says he's at Iran crossroads

Photo illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios. Photos: Getty Images President Trump believes he's approaching a critical juncture in the Iran war over whether to restart massive attacks in an effort to end the conflict, he told Axios' Barak Ravid today. Trump said: "I have a big decision coming up. Do I want to go in and annihilate them [the Iranian regime] or do I not? It's a big decision. Anything could happen with me." 🇺🇳 Trump's comments come ahead of a planned meeting with leaders from six Gulf countries — Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman — on the sidelines of next week's UN General Assembly in New York. The meeting could shape the next phase of the war. If Trump wants to resume major combat operations, he'll need buy-in from his regional allies. The president has said several times in recent days that the war will end soon. Some U.S. officials warn that the conflict has settled into an unsustainable, neither-war-nor-peace stalemate, and they believe that Trump could return to major combat operations after the midterms if a deal isn't reached by then. 🌍 Trump made clear in the interview that he wants to use the UN meeting to hear directly from regional allies about the war's next steps. He said: "I want to find out where they are and how they are doing. We have been very protective of them." Trump declined to say whether he'll decide on the path forward before or after the midterms. Keep reading.

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Iran stages massive Tehran rally as volunteers pledge to take up arms, in photos

Volunteers in combat gear, crowds waving flags and displays of military hardware filled Tehran as hundreds of thousands joined a government-organized rally after months of war. Read More.   Pact with Saudi Arabia threatens to draw Pakistan into Middle East conflict Activation of mutual defence agreement by Riyadh as fighting with Houthis escalates would have wide-reaching repercussions for Islamabad https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/sep/19/pakistan-saudi-arabia-mecca-pact-joint-defence-agreement-houthis-yemen-conflict?

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Your questions on what the Houthis are fighting for answered Last week we asked AP correspondent Joseph Krauss to answer a few questions submitted by Morning Wire readers. Here are some of his answers.

What is the ultimate goal of the Houthi rebels? What kind of power or government are they fighting for? Is it for control of Yemen? In the short-term, the Houthis want to legitimize their control over northwest Yemen by lifting the Saudi-led blockade and easing their isolation. They also appear to be eyeing further territorial gains in the oil-rich center and east. Houthi leaders say they want to eventually “liberate” all of Yemen but are open to talks with Saudi Arabia and their opponents. The Houthis might support a nominal power-sharing arrangement but would likely insist on preserving their political and military apparatus. In the territories they control, they dominate every public institution and crack down on dissent. When I was growing up there was a North and South Yemen. Why has this smaller country always been divided one way or the other? Partly because of its remoteness and rugged geography, Yemen has never had a strong central government and is fragmented among tribes and religious groups. The north-south divide dates back to the 19th century, when the British colonized southern Yemen while the Ottoman Empire and local rulers vied for the north. During the Cold War, a Soviet-backed Marxist state emerged in the south. The country united in 1990 as the USSR crumbled. But the north-south divide has reasserted itself since the Houthis took over the north in 2014, with many southerners seeking independence.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤ UK to offer Saudi Arabia aerial refueling to counter Houthi attacks  Iran’s Revolutionary Guard warns US over escalation, and other Mideast developments

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Iran War Victims Put Trump’s Power Grab On Trial

An unprecedented lawsuit from Iranian-American families challenges Trump’s ability to wage war without Congress.

Families of victims of President Donald Trump’s war in Iran just filed an unprecedented lawsuit asking a federal judge to decide a constitutional question Washington has evaded for decades: Can a president wage war without the approval of Congress?

Attorneys behind the lawsuit, filed on behalf of the members of the National Iranian American Council, say this is the first time people impacted by an unauthorized military intervention, rather than lawmakers, are legally challenging presidential war powers. The Constitution’s Declare War Clause vests the power to declare war in Congress, not the president. 

The suit is being brought on behalf of Iranian-Americans whose relatives have been killed, injured, or otherwise harmed by U.S. strikes in Iran.

“Nobody has tried this approach,” said Alan Morrison, a public interest lawyer representing the plaintiffs who has argued 20 cases before the Supreme Court — including one that has been interpreted to limit Congress’ ability to check presidential power. “We have a different group of plaintiffs, the people here who are suffering the war as the plaintiffs. Members of Congress have tried to stop the war before, [and] occasionally servicemen have tried to stop the war before, [but] none successfully.”

This case deliberately sidesteps the War Powers Resolution, a federal law that, among other things, allows Congress to demand the president cease unsanctioned hostilities, but has never been successfully used to stop military action. In June, both the House and the Senate passed war powers resolutions demanding an end to Trump’s Iran war, with no tangible effect. On Thursday, the same day Iranian-Americans filed their lawsuit, the Senate narrowly voted down another Iran war powers resolution.

Modern U.S. presidents, from Lyndon B. Johnson to George W. Bush, have rarely sought a congressional declaration of war, instead taking unilateral military action and claiming that such force does not amount to all-out war. The last time Congress officially declared war was during World War II.

Congress has repeatedly introduced war powers resolutions to end such unauthorized conflicts, but the resolutions’ legal standing remains contested. 

Legal scholars have interpreted a landmark 1983 Supreme Court ruling in a case brought by Morrison as delegitimizing congressional resolutions’ ability to limit the executive branch. Others argue that the justices carved out an exception for war powers resolutions. 

Now, some observers say Congress’s June Iran war powers resolution could be further complicated by the follow-up resolution’s failure this week. Lawmakers could assert their authority by suing the Trump administration for violating the first resolution, although no such case has been filed. Similar attempts to enforce the War Powers Resolution in the courts have gone nowhere.

The National Iranian American Council lawsuit takes a different approach. 

“We made a conscious decision to not talk about the War Powers Resolution in this case,” Morrison said.

Instead, the plaintiffs want the judiciary to quickly declare the war unconstitutional, based on the idea that the Constitution’s Declare War Clause forbids the president from waging a full-scale, extended war that Congress never authorized and has voted to terminate. Such a ruling could provide a way to hold Trump accountable for ignoring such war powers resolutions.

“To flout a court judgment, among other things, would be an impeachable offense,” the lawsuit notes.

The lawsuit comes as Trump threatens to escalate his current war, threatening this week to “annihilate” Iran. The court filing uses such bluster to bolster its case, citing Trump’s comments earlier this year that “I won’t use the word ‘war’ because they say if you use the word ‘war,’ that’s maybe not a good thing to do… So, I’ll use the word ‘military operation.’”

“Absent a declaration from this Court that defendant’s continuing presidential war of aggression violates the Constitution, the war will continue indefinitely,” the lawsuit reads.

https://www.levernews.com/iran-war-victims-put-trumps-power-grab-on-trial/?

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🇮🇷 Hope fades on Iran talks

Efforts this week by Qatari mediators to broker a diplomatic breakthrough between the U.S. and Iran have made little progress, with neither side willing to budge, three sources familiar with the talks tell Axios' Barak Ravid.

• "It is stuck," one of the sources said. "The Iranians are asking for things the U.S. can't accept. And the U.S. thinks it is winning so there is no need for compromise."

Why it matters: The stalemate bolsters the belief on both sides that a renewed military conflict is becoming more likely.

💣 U.S. officials think President Trump could order a return to major combat operations after the midterms.

• Qatari officials will keep trying but are growing increasingly frustrated with both sides, two of the sources said.

More on the talks.