Houthi missile attacks raise risk of wider regional conflict

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The missile launches were reported as the United States issued increasingly forceful warnings to Iran over its nuclear program, while Iranian lawmakers approved a new defense minister after his predecessor was killed on the first day of a conflict. Saudi Arabia and its regional partners have condemned Houthi attacks and said they will defend the kingdom, while Iran has urged Washington to accept a proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Taken together, the military exchanges and diplomatic threats point to a rapidly deteriorating security environment with implications for shipping, energy markets and wider US-Iran relations.

Sources: Anadolu Agency, Arab News, Asharq Al-Awsat