Iran Warns Neighbours Against Backing US, Says Region Faces 'Flames Of War'

<ul> <li>Tehran said any country acting as a shield for the US could be drawn into the war</li> <li>Donald Trump has threatened to hit Iran 'very hard,' with US reports pointing to possible strikes on energy infrastructure</li> <li>The Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen claim to have diverted eight Saudi oil tankers around South Africa's Cape of Good Hope</li> </ul> <p><em>Read below for all the latest headlines on the Iran war on Saturday, Aug 1, 2026.</em></p> <p><em>Tired of missing our real-time updates? Click </em>here<em> to add us as a Preferred Source on Google. Then tap the "Star" or "Preferred" to keep DW News at the top of your feed.</em></p> <hr /> <h2>Houthis claim Saudi oil shipments diverted</h2> <p>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.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>Riyadh has not confirmed that any tankers were diverted.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>Any serious disruption there would add to pressure on trade routes already affected by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.</p> <p>The Houthis said they do not intend to levy transit charges on vessels using the strait.</p> <h2>Iran warns regional states against helping US</h2> <p>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.</p> <p>"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.</p> <p>"Any country serving as [a] defensive shield for criminal and aggressive America will be engulfed by the flames of war," he added.</p> <p>The warning came after US President Donald Trump again threatened to hit Iran "very hard."</p> <p>US media reported that Trump was considering renewed large-scale strikes as early as this weekend, potentially including attacks on energy infrastructure.</p> <p>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.</p> <hr /> <h2>Welcome to our coverage</h2> <p>Welcome to DW's coverage of the situation in Iran and wider Middle East.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>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 <span class="editable placeholder" data-id="78183794" data-size="NORMAL" data-type="LIVEBLOG">catch our blog here</span>.</p> <p><em>Disclaimer: This report first appeared on <strong>Deutsche Welle</strong>, and has been republished on <strong>ABP Live</strong> as part of a special arrangement. Apart from the headline, no changes have been made in the report by <strong>ABP Live</strong>.</em></p>

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