❌〰 US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said at the ASEAN foreign ministers meeting in Manila that Iran, by transferring IRGC forces to Yemen, has fueled an escalation in clashes between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis.

He added that Tehran has established direct flights from Iran to Yemen and, through them, has transferred IRGC-affiliated forces to that country.

The remarks come as the Houthis claimed on Thursday morning that they targeted two Saudi ships in the Bab al-Mandab.

According to Rubio, any disruption to shipping in the Red Sea could have consequences similar to tensions in the Strait of Hormuz. He also warned that establishing a practice to control international waterways would threaten the security of global trade.

At the same time, the US army said it would continue attacks on targets in Iran, and tensions in the region have entered a new phase.