Yemen

Problems in the Red Sea are estimated to cost an additional $2 billion to Türkiye as personnel costs and prices of certain goods, especially electronic goods, are rising due to the Houthi attacks on ships in the waterway, according to the business associations.

U.S. forces struck an anti-ship missile in Huthi-held Yemen that they said was ready to fire early Saturday, hours after the Iran-backed rebels caused a fire on a British tanker in the Gulf of Aden with a similar munition.

Yemen's Houthi rebels have claimed responsibility for a missile attack on the British oil tanker "Marlin Luanda" in the Gulf of Aden, resulting in a confirmed fire on board, according to maritime security firm Ambrey. Fortunately, no injuries were reported among the crew members. The Houthi military spokesman stated that the strike was direct and led to the ship's burning.

The U.N. trade body has sounded an alarm that global trade is being disrupted by attacks in the Red Sea, the war in Ukraine, and low water levels in the Panama Canal.

Jan Hoffmann, a trade expert at UNCTAD, warned that shipping costs have already surged and energy and food costs are being affected, raising inflation risks.

The United States has reportedly reached out to China, urging them to use their influence with Tehran to put an end to the ship attacks carried out by Yemen's Iran-affiliated Houthi rebels. Despite repeated discussions on the matter, Washington has encountered limited cooperation from Beijing, as reported by the Financial Times, citing US officials.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken discussed developments in the Gaza Strip and the Red Sea, as well as concerns over free navigation amid Houthi attacks over the phone on Monday.

China called for an end to "harassment" of civilian vessels in the Red Sea on Friday after attacks on ships by Huthi rebels in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.

Huthi aggression against vessels in and around the Red Sea has led to retaliatory strikes in Yemen by U.S. and British forces.

A senior Huthi official has promised safe passage for Russian and Chinese vessels through the Red Sea, where the Iran-backed Yemeni rebel group has been carrying out attacks on commercial ships in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.

In a significant development, the United States has declared Ansarallah, commonly known as the Houthis, a Specially Designated Global Terrorist, citing ongoing threats and attacks by the rebel group. This move comes in response to recent Houthi assaults on ships navigating the Red Sea, prompting the US to launch targeted strikes on Houthi positions within Yemen.

The United States will once again consider Yemen's Iran-backed Huthi rebels a terrorist group, U.S. media reported Tuesday, after previously dropping the classification in 2021.

The designation, expected Wednesday, of the Huthis as a "specially designated global terrorist" entity comes amid attacks by the group on shipping and military vessels in the Red Sea.