The Iran-backed movement, which controls large parts of Yemen and possesses significant missile and drone capabilities, has previously demonstrated its ability to strike targets across the Gulf and disrupt maritime navigation around the Arabian Peninsula. Despite those capabilities, the group has not issued any formal declaration indicating it has joined the current conflict.

The Houthis, a Shi’ite political and armed movement, expanded their influence after unrest linked to the Arab Spring protests in 2011 destabilised Yemen’s political system.

Capitalising on the turmoil, the group captured the Yemeni capital Sanaa in 2014, triggering a wider conflict that drew in regional powers. In 2015, Saudi Arabia led a coalition of Arab states in a military intervention aimed at pushing the Houthis from power.

During years of fighting, the Houthis developed significant missile and drone capabilities and carried out attacks on oil facilities and infrastructure in both Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

The conflict created one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises before the United Nations brokered a truce between the warring sides in 2022. The ceasefire has largely held since then.

The Houthis demonstrated their regional reach after the Oct. 7, 2023 attack on Israel led by the Palestinian militant group Hamas and the subsequent Israeli military campaign in Gaza.

In response, the Houthis launched attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea, saying their actions were intended to support Palestinians. They also fired drones and missiles toward Israel, prompting retaliatory air strikes on Houthi targets.

Houthi attacks on shipping subsided after a U.S.-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in October 2025.

Despite remaining outside the current conflict, the group’s leadership has signalled it is prepared to act if circumstances change.

On March 5, Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi said in a televised address that the group was ready to escalate militarily if developments warranted.“Regarding military escalation and action, our fingers are on the trigger at any moment should developments warrant it,” he said.

Unlike Iran-aligned groups such as Hezbollah in Lebanon and armed factions in Iraq, the Houthis do not follow the religious authority of Iran’s supreme leader in the same doctrinal structure.

While Iran promotes the Houthis as part of its regional “Axis of Resistance,” Yemen specialists say the movement remains primarily driven by domestic political priorities, even as it maintains political and strategic ties with Tehran and Hezbollah.

The assurance was conveyed after recent conversations between S. Jaishankar, India’s foreign minister, and his Iranian counterpart Seyed Abbas Araghchi, according to the Indian source, who declined to be identified because they were not authorised to speak publicly.

India, the world’s third-largest oil consumer, depends on the Strait of Hormuz for roughly 40% of its crude imports, making the security of shipping routes a key concern amid regional tensions.

India’s foreign ministry confirmed that the two foreign ministers had held three conversations in recent days. The most recent discussion focused on maritime safety and the protection of India’s energy supply lines.

“Beyond that, it would be premature for me to say anything,” foreign ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal told a weekly press briefing.

In a statement following the talks, Iran’s foreign ministry said the United States should be held responsible for the “insecure situation and problems arising for shipping in the Persian Gulf,” but neither side publicly mentioned any agreement on safe passage for Indian vessels.

On Thursday the Suezmax tanker Shenlong, carrying Saudi crude oil, arrived at a port in Mumbai after transiting the Strait of Hormuz, according to shipping data from the London Stock Exchange Group.

The Liberia-flagged vessel was the first crude tanker to reach India from the Middle East since fighting involving Iran, the United States and Israel erupted in late February. The cargo was purchased by state-run Bharat Petroleum Corporation, a source with direct knowledge of the matter said.

The Indian source added that two other foreign-flagged tankers believed to be carrying oil bound for India had also recently crossed the strait.

India said on Wednesday that 28 Indian-flagged vessels were operating west and east of the Strait of Hormuz, carrying a total of 778 Indian sailors.

Authorities, shipping companies and recruitment agencies are coordinating with Indian embassies and local authorities to ensure the safety of seafarers, the petroleum ministry said.

India has also given safe harbour to 183 Iranian sailors after a vessel docked in the country following the outbreak of the conflict. New Delhi had allowed three Iranian ships returning from a naval exercise in the Bay of Bengal to dock; one of the vessels was later sunk by a U.S. submarine in international waters, while another sought assistance from Sri Lanka.

The ministry said it had summoned Iran’s ambassador in Bangkok to seek clarification on the circumstances surrounding the incident and to obtain details about the attack on the vessel.

In a statement, the Thai Foreign Ministry said it was requesting a formal explanation from Iranian authorities and pressing for an apology over the damage inflicted on the ship.

Officials said the projectile strike triggered a blaze on board, prompting the crew to evacuate the vessel for safety.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said in a statement carried by the Tasnim News Agency that the vessel had been “fired upon by Iranian fighters,” according to the report.

The statement did not provide further details about the circumstances that led to the strike.

The Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important maritime chokepoints for energy shipments, has come under heightened scrutiny amid rising tensions linked to the conflict involving Iran and its regional adversaries.

The incident involving the Thai vessel adds to growing concerns about risks to commercial shipping passing through the narrow waterway.

The sailors had been taken to a government hospital after they were rescued by Sri Lankan authorities earlier in the week. Medical officials said the crew received treatment for dehydration, exhaustion and minor injuries sustained during the incident.Hospital administrators said the group was released after doctors determined their condition had stabilized and no further medical supervision was required. The sailors were handed over to Sri Lankan maritime and immigration authorities for the next stage of administrative processing.

Officials at the hospital said the Iranian crew members were admitted as a precautionary measure following their rescue. According to medical staff, most of the sailors were suffering from fatigue and dehydration after spending an extended period at sea before being brought ashore.Doctors monitored the crew for several days while providing fluids, rest and routine medical checks. Hospital officials said none of the sailors required intensive care and their condition steadily improved during treatment.After completing the medical evaluation, the hospital confirmed the sailors were fit to leave the facility. Authorities coordinated their discharge with maritime and diplomatic officials.

Sri Lankan maritime authorities said the sailors had been rescued following an incident involving their vessel in waters near Sri Lanka. Details of the rescue operation were not immediately disclosed, but officials said the crew were brought safely to shore before being transported to hospital.Rescue teams routinely coordinate with the Sri Lankan navy and coast guard in response to maritime emergencies in the region, which sits along one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes connecting Asia, the Middle East and Europe.Authorities said the priority in such operations is stabilizing survivors and ensuring they receive medical attention upon arrival.Administrative and diplomatic proceduresFollowing their discharge from hospital, the sailors were transferred to the custody of relevant Sri Lankan authorities while officials work with diplomatic representatives to arrange their next steps.Government officials said such cases typically involve coordination between maritime agencies, immigration authorities and the relevant foreign embassy to facilitate repatriation or onward travel once medical treatment is completed.Sri Lanka frequently handles maritime rescue cases involving international crews because of its location near major global shipping routes across the Indian Ocean.The sailors are expected to remain under administrative supervision until formal procedures related to their rescue and travel arrangements are completed, authorities said.