Iran cautions neighbors against becoming a shield for US attacks

Iran's military central command chief, Ali Abdollahi, warned that any state serving as a defensive shield for the United States would be pulled into the ongoing war, describing the United States as "criminal and aggressive." His statement came after Donald Trump reiterated his intention to hit Iran "very hard," with reports of possible strikes on Iranian energy infrastructure. Meanwhile, the Iran-aligned Houthi rebels in Yemen said they have redirected eight Saudi oil tankers away from their usual routes, forcing them to sail around the Cape of Good Hope to reach Asian markets.

Saudi officials have not verified the claim. The Houthis framed the move as retaliation for years of Saudi pressure on Houthi-controlled areas. The situation heightens the risk of interference with the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a vital passage linking the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden, already strained by tensions in the Strait of Hormuz.