TEHRAN: Yemen&#39;s Houthi rebels joined the month-old Middle East war, claiming two missile attacks on Israel that raised concern on Sunday about the war spreading to the Red Sea. Fears of a widening conflict came as the Washington Post reported that the Pentagon was preparing plans for weeks of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pentagon-preparing-for-ground-operations-in-iran-report" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">US ground operations</a>&nbsp;in Iran -- though it said President Donald Trump has yet to approve any deployment. The involvement of Houthi rebels has added a new complexity to a conflict that has already impacted a wide swathe of the Middle East. During Israel&#39;s recent war on Gaza, the Houthis, claiming solidarity with Palestinians, attacked shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, forcing companies to take costly detours. Until Saturday, they had sat out the latest conflict, even as the Red Sea grew more vital. A Houthi spokesman on Saturday said the group fired &quot;a barrage of cruise missiles and drones targeting several vital and military sites&quot; in Israel. Since the launch of hostilities, Saudi Arabia has rerouted much of its oil exports via the Red Sea to avoid the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran says it has closed to shipping from hostile powers. Iran threatens retaliationThe attacks on Iran continued Saturday as Israel&#39;s military said it struck the headquarters of Iran&#39;s Marine Industries Organisation in Tehran, saying the facility developed &quot;a wide range of naval weaponry.&quot; On Saturday evening, a wave of blasts rang out in the capital for several minutes, with no immediate word on what was targeted. An Israeli military spokesman said attacks on Iranian military industry had intensified and &quot;within a few days, we will complete attacks on all critical components.&quot; &quot;I miss a peaceful night&#39;s sleep,&quot; an artist in Tehran told AFP, saying the previous night&#39;s strikes were &quot;so intense it felt like all of Tehran was shaking.&quot; Iran&#39;s Revolutionary Guard meanwhile threatened Sunday to strike US university campuses in the Middle East unless Washington officially condemned US-Israeli&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/us-israel-war-on-iran-day-29" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">attacks on two Iranian universities</a>. Several American institutions operate campuses across the Gulf region, including Texas A&amp;M in Qatar and New York University in the UAE. Pakistan mediationThe conflict began when the United States and Israel launched airstrikes across Iran that killed supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, engulfing the region in conflict, sending energy prices soaring and prompting diplomatic efforts to halt the fighting. Pakistan, acting as a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pakistan-iran-leaders-discuss-regional-tensions-peace-efforts" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">go-between for Washington and Tehran,</a>&nbsp;will host foreign ministers from Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Egypt in Islamabad on Monday for talks on the crisis. Iran&#39;s President Masoud Pezeshkian thanked Islamabad &quot;for its mediation efforts to stop the aggression,&quot; while Germany&#39;s Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said Friday he expected a direct US-Iran meeting in Pakistan &quot;very soon.&quot; Trump&#39;s special envoy Steve Witkoff said such a meeting could take place this week, and promoted a 15-point plan that Washington says &quot;could solve it all.&quot; Still, the USS Tripoli, an amphibious assault ship carrying around 3,500 Marines and sailors, arrived in the Middle East on Friday amid speculation over a possible US ground deployment in Iran. The Washington Post reported late Saturday that the Pentagon is preparing plans for weeks of ground operations in Iran -- potentially including raids on Kharg Island and sites near the Strait of Hormuz -- though President Trump has yet to approve any deployment. Red Sea shipping&nbsp;The economic fallout of the war remained critical with Hormuz still all but impassable and attacks on infrastructure still frequent in the region. Many Gulf shipments have been rerouted through Oman&#39;s Salalah port on the Arabian Sea, but Danish shipping giant Maersk said operations there were temporarily suspended after a drone attack. Fire broke out after Iranian missiles and drones struck the Khalifa Economic Zone in Abu Dhabi, injuring six people. Emirates Global Aluminium reported significant damage. Air travel has also been disrupted, with authorities in Kuwait and Erbil in Iraqi Kurdistan reporting airport facilities hit in strikes by Iran. The United States condemned a drone attack on the residence of Kurdish regional leader Nechirvan Barzani, blaming Iranian militia proxies in Iraq and calling it &quot;a direct assault on Iraq&#39;s sovereignty.&quot; Elsewhere in Iraq, a former paramilitary coalition, integrated into the armed forces but containing pro-Iran factions, said three fighters were killed in a strike near Kirkuk, while the interior ministry said two police officers died in another in Mosul. Both were blamed on the United States and Israel. Ukraine&#39;s President Volodymyr Zelensky offered his military&#39;s expertise to help defend against Iranian strikes as left his war-torn country for the region to sign anti-drone cooperation agreements with Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE. Three journalists killed<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/lebanon-says-46-rescuers-5-medical-staff-killed-in-israelhezbollah-war" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Attacks continued in Lebanon</a>, which was drawn into the conflict when Hezbollah fired rockets at Israel on March 2. On Saturday, the Israeli military killed three journalists in the south, including Al Manar correspondent Ali Shoeib, one of the network&#39;s most prominent war correspondents, who had covered Israeli attacks on Lebanon for decades. The Israeli military accused him of operating within Hezbollah &quot;under the guise of a journalist.&quot; Lebanese authorities, including President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, condemned the killings as war crimes. Israel also carried out raids in southern Lebanon that killed nine paramedics, according to the health ministry.

A security personnel stands guard as Houthi supporters gather during a rally in solidarity with Iran and Lebanon, amid the US-Israeli war with Iran, in the Yemeni capital Sanaa on March 27, 2026. (File photo: AFP)

Middle East

The involvement of Houthi rebels adds a new complexity to a conflict that has already impacted a wide swathe of the Middle East.

Houthis missile attacks on Israel widen Middle East war

UNITED NATIONS: The United States and Israel on Saturday defended their attacks on Iran, which called the resulting civilian deaths a &quot;war crime&quot; during an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council.&nbsp;&quot;The international community has long affirmed a simple and necessary principle: <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/iran-agreed-not-to-stockpile-enriched-uranium-mediator-oman" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon</a>,&quot; said US ambassador Mike Waltz, pointing to past UN resolutions ignored by Tehran.&nbsp;&quot;That principle is not a matter of politics, it&#39;s a matter of global security, and to that end, the United States is taking lawful actions,&quot; he added.&nbsp;Referencing Iran&#39;s recent deadly crackdowns on protesters, Waltz said that Iran&#39;s presence at Saturday&#39;s emergency meeting in New York &quot;makes a mockery of this body.&quot;&nbsp;&quot;But where the UN lacks moral clarity, the United States of America will maintain it,&quot; he added.&nbsp;Israeli ambassador Danny Danon condemned the &quot;hypocrisy&quot; of some Security Council members who criticized the joint US-Israeli attack, but not the retaliation by Iran.&nbsp;&quot;We did not act of impulse. We did not act of aggression. We acted out of necessity because the Iranian regime left no reasonable alternative,&quot; Danon said.&nbsp;Iranian counterpart Amir Saeid Iravani denounced the &quot;war crime&quot; of civilian deaths, notably of more than 100 children at Minab School in southern Iran.&nbsp;&quot;It is regrettable that some members of this body, in a blatant double standard, disregard the flagrant act of aggression committed by the US and Israel on Iran, and condemn Iran for using its inherent right to self-defense in the UN Charter,&quot; he said.&nbsp;Iravani notably did not comment on or confirm the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, which US President Donald Trump announced moments before the meeting.&nbsp;The mixed views highlighted a divided Security Council.&nbsp;Russia and China only condemned the <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/iran-supreme-leader-ali-khamenei-dies-in-israeli-strike-officials-say" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">US-Israeli strikes</a>, while others principally targeted Iran. Some were more careful to simply call for deescalation.&nbsp;Gulf states condemned Iran&#39;s strikes against them as &quot;cowardly&quot; in a joint statement read by Bahrain&#39;s ambassador.&nbsp;&quot;We hold the government of Iran fully responsible for these attacks, and we reject any justifications or explanations to justify this hostile behavior or to manipulate rules of international law,&quot; said Jamal Fares Alrowaiei on behalf of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Syria and Jordan.&nbsp;UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that military action in the Middle East risked triggering uncontrollable consequences in the region.&nbsp;&quot;Military action carries the risk of igniting a chain of events that no one can control in the most volatile region of the world,&quot; he told the Security Council.

Americas

US, Israel defend strikes at UN as Iran alleges 'war crime'

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad addressed the <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/un-security-council-to-hold-emergency-meeting-on-iran-after-usisrael-strikes" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Security Council</a> on Saturday, strongly condemning recent military attacks in the Middle East and urging an immediate return to diplomacy to prevent further destabilization. &ldquo;I would like to thank the Secretary-General for his sobering presentation and assessment of the unfolding situation in the Middle East,&rdquo; Ahmad said. &ldquo;We concur with his view that there is no viable alternative to a peaceful settlement.&rdquo; Highlighting the timing of the attacks, Ahmad criticized strikes against Iran as &ldquo;unwarranted&rdquo; and noted they occurred while <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/iran-agreed-not-to-stockpile-enriched-uranium-mediator-oman" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">renewed diplomatic efforts </a>were underway. &ldquo;Such a course of action will undermine the peace and stability of the entire region with far-reaching consequences,&rdquo; he said. The ambassador also condemned retaliatory and concurrent attacks targeting Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, emphasizing Pakistan&rsquo;s solidarity with these countries. He called on all parties to exercise maximum restraint, warning that &ldquo;these unprovoked attacks&hellip;constitute blatant violations of the sovereignty of the brotherly Gulf states.&rdquo; Addressing civilian casualties, Ahmad expressed condolences, including for a Pakistani national killed in the UAE, and lamented the loss of schoolchildren in Iran and other civilians affected by the violence. &ldquo;We urge all sides to refrain from any further actions that may undermine the security and territorial integrity of other regional countries,&rdquo; he said. He praised Oman for its efforts in facilitating dialogue between the United States and Iran, noting that the recent strikes &ldquo;derailed diplomacy&rdquo; and further eroded trust at a critical moment. Citing the UN Charter, Ahmad stressed the inviolability of international law. &ldquo;The Charter prohibits threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of states. Pakistan reiterates the call for full respect for international law, including the UN Charter, as well as international humanitarian law,&rdquo; he said. Pakistan&rsquo;s envoy concluded by expressing alarm over the risk of a broader regional conflict and emphasizing the protection of millions of civilians. &ldquo;The safety and well-being of our compatriots in the region remains a top priority,&rdquo; Ahmad said.

Foreign Affairs

Ahmad criticized strikes against Iran as 'unwarranted' and noted they occurred while renewed diplomatic efforts were underway. 

At UNSC, Pakistan condemns regional attacks, calls for diplomacy

ISLAMABAD: The United States has expressed support for Pakistan&rsquo;s right to defend itself against Taliban attacks, as US President Donald Trump publicly praised Pakistan&rsquo;s leadership amid escalating hostilities with Afghanistan. Speaking about Pakistan&rsquo;s leadership, Trump said, &ldquo;Well, I would, but I get along with Pakistan, as you know, very well, very very well.&rdquo; &ldquo;You have a great&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pm-sharif-briefed-at-military-headquarters-as-pakistan-inflicts-heavy-taliban-losses" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">prime minister [Shehbaz Sharif], you have a great general</a>&nbsp;[Field Marshal Asim Munir] there, you have a great leader,&rdquo; he added.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 321px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2027488449171730683&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F4471%2F&sessionId=18939436600dbe61445e0575651a7687a21e6f5f&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" data-tweet-id="2027488449171730683"></iframe></div></div>&ldquo;But I think two of the people that I truly respect a lot, and I think that Pakistan is doing terrifically well.&rdquo; His remarks came as&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pakistan-says-297-taliban-fighters-killed-in-afghanistan-strikes" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Pakistan conducted its most extensive military strikes</a>&nbsp;inside Afghanistan since the Taliban returned to power in 2021, targeting multiple locations, including Kabul and Kandahar, declaring a state of &ldquo;war&rdquo; following unprovoked cross-border attacks. Washington&rsquo;s position was formally conveyed by Allison Hooker, the US under secretary of state for political affairs, who said the United States &ldquo;expressed support for Pakistan&rsquo;s right to defend itself against Taliban attacks&rdquo; after talks with a Pakistani counterpart. Pakistani officials say the strikes were a defensive response to sustained aggression from Afghan soil and aimed at degrading Taliban military capabilities used to threaten Pakistan&rsquo;s security. International reactions, however, were mixed. The European Union urged restraint, with foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas calling on both sides to de-escalate and return to dialogue amid a sharp rise in violence. &ldquo;The EU reiterates that Afghan territory must not be used to threaten or attack other countries and calls on the Afghan de facto authorities to take effective action against all terrorist groups operating in or from Afghanistan,&rdquo; Kallas said in a statement. Concern over the situation was echoed by the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross, while Britain, Norway and Azerbaijan also called for immediate de-escalation. Diplomatic efforts were launched by China, Saudi Arabia and Qatar to help ease tensions, as Pakistan maintains that its actions fall within its sovereign right to self-defense against cross-border attacks.

US President Donald Trump speaks to the press before boarding Marine One as he departs from the South Lawn of the White House for Texas in Washington, DC, on February 27, 2026. (Photo: AFP)

Praises the Pakistan leadership, including Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir; says he believes Pakistan is 'doing terrifically well.'

US backs Pakistan’s self-defense as Trump praises leadership amid Afghan conflict

BRUSSELS:&nbsp;EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas urged a &quot;diplomatic solution&quot; on Iran on Monday ahead of expected talks between Tehran and Washington, as US President Donald Trump threatens strikes on the country. &quot;We don&#39;t need another war in this region. We already have a lot,&quot; Kallas said ahead of a meeting of EU foreign ministers. &quot;It is true that Iran is at its weakest point that they have been. We should be really using this time to find a diplomatic solution.&quot;

Says the world does not need another war; 'we already have a lot.'

Articles tagged with "conflict"

Houthis missile attacks on Israel widen Middle East war

US, Israel defend strikes at UN as Iran alleges 'war crime'

At UNSC, Pakistan condemns regional attacks, calls for diplomacy

US backs Pakistan’s self-defense as Trump praises leadership amid Afghan conflict

EU foreign policy chief calls for 'diplomatic solution' on Iran