Iran warns neighbors against being US 'defensive shield'

Iran warns neighbors against being US 'defensive shield' Published August 1, 2026last updated August 1, 2026What you need to know - Tehran said any country acting as a shield for the US could be drawn into the war - Donald Trump has threatened to hit Iran 'very hard,' with US reports pointing to possible strikes on energy infrastructure - The Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen claim to have diverted eight Saudi oil tankers around South Africa's Cape of Good Hope Read below for all the latest headlines on the Iran war on Saturday, Aug 1, 2026. Houthis claim Saudi oil shipments diverted Yemen's Houthi movement says eight Saudi oil tankers have been pushed off their usual routes as part of a newly declared blockade targeting the kingdom's energy exports. According to the Iran-backed group, the ships will now have to make the much longer journey around South Africa's Cape of Good Hope to reach Asian markets. Riyadh has not confirmed that any tankers were diverted. The Houthis announced the blockade last week, framing it as retaliation for what they describe as years of Saudi pressure on Houthi-held parts of Yemen. The group controls much of northern Yemen, including the capital Sanaa, after seizing territory in 2014 and setting off a war that drew in a Saudi-led coalition backing the internationally recognized government. A major concern for global shipping is the Bab al-Mandab Strait, the narrow passage between Yemen and the Horn of Africa that links the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden. Any serious disruption there would add to pressure on trade routes already affected by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. The Houthis said they do not intend to levy transit charges on vessels using the strait. Iran warns regional states against helping US Iran's military has accused the United States of "escalating tensions" in the Middle East and warned regional neighbors against supporting Washington during the conflict. "The United States is rapidly moving down the path of escalating tensions in the region," Ali Abdollahi, head of Iran's military central command, said in a statement broadcast on state television on Saturday. "Any country serving as [a] defensive shield for criminal and aggressive America will be engulfed by the flames of war," he added. The warning came after US President Donald Trump again threatened to hit Iran "very hard." US media reported that Trump was considering renewed large-scale strikes as early as this weekend, potentially including attacks on energy infrastructure. Iran and the United States resumed exchanges of fire this week after several days of relative calm, although no strikes were reported overnight from Friday into Saturday. Welcome to our coverage Welcome to DW's coverage of the situation in Iran and wider Middle East. After US President Donald Trump again threatened to hit Iran, the head of Iran's military central command accused Washington of "escalating tensions" in the region. Elsewhere, Yemen's Houthi movement says it has forced eight Saudi oil tankers away from their usual routes as part of a new blockade targeting the kingdom's energy exports. Stay tuned for more news and analysis. For our previous day coverage of the conflict and the wider Middle East on July 31, 2026, you can catch our blog here.