Yemen Clashes Kill Over 140 as Houthis Advance in Most Dangerous Countries
Escalating conflicts in Yemen, the Strait of Hormuz, the Black Sea, and at Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant have made several regions in the world's most dangerous countries, with over 140 killed in recent Yemen clashes and rising risks to global shipping and nuclear safety.
Deadly Clashes Erupt in Yemen
Days-long clashes have erupted in Yemen over control of a gateway to the Red Sea in the deadliest fighting in the Arabian Peninsula country since a 2022 ceasefire between the two sides collapsed in July. [1] Fighting between Yemeni government forces and Iran-backed Houthi rebels in southwest Yemen killed more than 140 combatants between midday Saturday and early Sunday morning, military sources said. [1] Two military officials with the Saudi-backed government forces told AFP that 84 of their troops were killed, mostly in missile attacks, while four Houthi military sources said 57 rebel fighters were killed in the same period. [1] According to an AFP tally compiled using various military and medical sources from both sides of the conflict, more than 300 combatants and some civilians have been killed since the start of the Houthi assault on Thursday. [1] Beginning on Thursday, the Houthis launched an offensive aiming to cut off the government-held port city of Mokha, under fire for weeks, and advance towards areas bordering the Bab al-Mandab chokepoint at the southern entrance to the Red Sea. [1] The government forces on Saturday said they had recaptured strategically located territory in Hodeidah province under Houthi control and advanced in western Taiz. [2] The SABA news agency, controlled by Yemen’s internationally recognised government, reported on Saturday that the Yemeni military had taken control of Hais district in Hodeidah. [2] The source also said government forces have regained areas around the al-Barh junction in western Taiz and advanced towards Houthi positions. [2] However, the Houthis still control the capital, Sanaa, and several other cities, and have themselves recently advanced around Taiz as they seek to threaten the government-held port of al-Makha and move towards areas bordering the strategically vital Bab al-Mandab strait. [2]
Saudi Arabia's Involvement and Regional Links
The fighting between the Iran-backed Houthis and government troops supported by US ally Saudi Arabia signals the emergence of a new front in the wider Middle East war, which broke out in late February with US-Israeli strikes on Iran. [1] Riyadh has carried out air strikes against positions recently captured by the Houthis, as the battle increasingly focuses on territory leading towards one of the world’s most important shipping routes. [2] The Iran-backed Houthis announced a maritime blockade of Saudi Arabia in July and began targeting Saudi ships and territory, while Saudi Arabia has carried out air strikes against Houthi positions in Taiz. [2] In July, a fragile truce between the Houthis and Yemen's government fell apart after the rebels welcomed an Iranian plane to the capital Sanaa, setting off a spate of attacks. [1] The escalation is also increasingly intertwined with the wider regional conflict linked to the US-Israel war on Iran. [2] Bab al-Mandeb has become particularly important after Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping. [2]
Yemeni government forces clash with Houthi rebels in southwest Yemen. — Source: aljazeera
Tanker Attacks Intensify in the Strait of Hormuz
The United States and Iran have escalated tit-for-tat attacks in the past 24 hours, with Washington targeting three Iranian oil tankers and Tehran hitting tankers and firing a ballistic missile towards US warships patrolling near the Strait of Hormuz. [4] US Central Command said its forces struck three Iranian vessels, including a tanker off Kharg Island. [4] CENTCOM said the attacks followed Iranian ballistic missile launches against a US aircraft carrier and navy destroyer, which it said successfully evaded the strikes. [4] Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it launched several ballistic missiles at the aircraft carrier and destroyer, accusing them of harassing Iranian ships and taking part in a naval blockade. [4] Iran then said its forces also targeted three oil tankers travelling through what it called an unauthorised route in the Strait of Hormuz and three US-linked vessels elsewhere. [4] Iran effectively shut the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20 percent of the world’s oil supplies flowed, in retaliation for the US-Israeli attacks that began on February 28. [4] Brent crude futures closed on Friday at $96.28 a barrel, their highest level since July 24, up from roughly $70 before the war. [4]
Black Sea Shipping Under Threat
Turkey is racing to restore safe passage for cargo ships in the Black Sea as attacks on shipping disrupt grain exports and push up prices. [5] Russian and Ukrainian attacks on shipping and port infrastructure have severely disrupted Black Sea trade. [5] Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan announced this week that Turkey was working on a plan to ensure safe passage in the Black Sea for commercial shipping and said he was in touch with both Ukraine and Russia. [5] Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan confirmed that he raised the issue with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, on the sidelines of a gathering of regional leaders in Kyrgyzstan. [5] In 2022, Turkey and the United Nations brokered a deal between Ukraine and Russia to ensure safe passage for Ukrainian grain exports through the Black Sea. [5] The agreement lasted a year. [5] Grain prices have risen sharply, by as much as 30 percent, international grain broker Can Atbasoglu said. [5] At one of Istanbul's many shipyards, the docks are crowded with ships that once braved the Black Sea. [5] Turkish shipowners warn that many are on the brink of bankruptcy, as idle ships rack up costs of up to 50,000 euros a month in mooring and crew expenses. [5]
Nuclear Safety Concerns at Zaporizhzhia
Energoatom, Ukraine's state-owned nuclear energy company, has stressed that the condition of the temporarily occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant points to a continued erosion of fundamental nuclear safety principles. [3] On 5 September, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi announced a localised ceasefire to restore external power supply to the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, which has been disconnected since 20 August. [3] This is the 27th time the plant has been disconnected from the power grid since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, and the facility switched to diesel generator operation. [3] Energoatom notes that emergency diesel generators have been used by the Russians as primary power sources in non-design operating modes for an extended period of more than two weeks. [3] Due to the prolonged and continuous operation of the generators, the risk of Common Cause Failure – one of the most critical threats to nuclear power plant safety – is increasing. [3] Constant cyclical starts and load switching significantly increase the probability of start-up automation failure. [3]
Global Repercussions of the Conflicts in Most Dangerous Countries
The fighting comes amid a wider regional conflict involving Saudi Arabia, which is a key backer of the Yemeni government. [2] The Hormuz blockade has triggered a global energy crisis and is pushing the global economy into turbulence. [2] The waterway is a key transit route for Saudi oil, one of only two exit-entry points to the Red Sea, the other being the Suez Canal, raising the stakes as Houthi forces attempt to advance towards areas bordering the strait. [2] The attacks are adding to concerns about global energy supplies. [4] The surge in attacks comes as both nations rush to export their grain harvests. [5] Without a diplomatic solution, few shipowners will be prepared to risk their vessels. [5] Every blackout at the occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant worsens the condition of equipment, including the diesel generators that provide backup power to the plant. [3] Even though all units are in cold shutdown mode, a power outage threatens the loss of control over primary safety systems, spent nuclear fuel storage pools and technological parameters. [3]
What to watch next: Turkish efforts to broker safe passage may face challenges as Ukraine and Russia have ramped up attacks on shipping and ports, with Ankara expected to step up diplomatic contacts with both sides.
