CAIRO: Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis said they carried out a second attack on Israel in less than 24 hours using missiles and drones, and vowed to continue military operations in the coming days, the group’s military spokesperson Yahya Saree said in a televised speech.The Houthis’ entry into the conflict adds to regional tensions, particularly given their ability to strike targets far beyond Yemen and disrupt shipping lanes around the Arabian Peninsula and the Red Sea, as they did in support of Hamas in Gaza following the October 7, 2023, attacks.If the Houthis increase attacks on commercial shipping, it would further push up oil prices and destabilize “all of maritime security,” said Ahmed Nagi, a senior Yemen analyst at the International Crisis Group. “The impact would not be limited to the energy market.”Meanwhile, about 2,500 US Marines arrived in the region. And Pakistan’s government said that regional powers plan to meet on Sunday to discuss how to end the fighting. (Agencies)Diplomacy attempts as US beefs up troop numbersMarch 29, 2026 8:44 amPakistan said that Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Egypt will send top diplomats to Islamabad for talks aimed at ending the war, arriving on Sunday for a two-day visit. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that he and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian held “extensive discussions” on regional hostilities. But Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told his Turkish counterpart by phone that Tehran was skeptical about recent diplomatic efforts.Pentagon preparing for weeks of ground operations in Iran: ReportMarch 29, 2026 8:44 amThe Pentagon is preparing for weeks of ground operations in Iran, the Washington Post reported on Saturday, citing US officials. The plans could involve raids by Special Operations and conventional infantry troops, the Post reported. Whether President Donald Trump would approve any of those plans remains uncertain, according to the Post.Israeli military reports injuries to soldiers in southern LebanonMarch 29, 2026 8:44 amThe military said nine soldiers were injured in two different attacks in southern Lebanon. Two officers were severely injured, the military said in a statement, adding that they occurred during anti-tank missile fire and a rocket launched towards Israeli troops in southern Lebanon. The military did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the total number of soldiers wounded since the war began.Witnesses in Tehran report heavy strikesMarch 29, 2026 8:44 amIsrael’s military said that it targeted Iran’s naval weapons production facilities, and said that it would finish attacking essential weapons production sites within “a few days.” Iran fired missiles toward Israel, while air defences early on Sunday intercepted missiles and drones across Gulf countries. The US said that it has struck more than 11,000 Iranian targets in the war.