DUBAI: Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi militia claimed responsibility for a missile attack on Tuesday on a container ship in the Red Sea and for an attempt to attack Israel with drones.
MSC Mediterranean Shipping said there were no injuries to its crew from the attack on its ship, the United VIII, en route from Saudi Arabia to Pakistan. It said the ship had informed a nearby coalition naval warship that it had come under attack and had taken evasive maneuvers.
Israel said separately that its aircraft had intercepted a hostile aerial target in the Red Sea area.
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea in a televised address said the group had targeted the vessel, which he identified as the MSC United, after the crew failed to respond to warnings.
He also said the Houthis had carried out a military operation targeting Eilat and other areas in Israel, which he referred to as occupied Palestine. He did not say whether any of the targets were successfully hit.
US fighter jets, a navy destroyer and other assets shot down in the Red Sea 12 drones, three anti-ship ballistic missiles, and two cruise missiles fired by the Houthis, US Central Command said. There was no damage to ships and no reported injuries, it wrote on social media platform X.
The Houthis, who control much of Yemen including the capital, have since October attacked commercial vessels in the Red Sea they say have Israeli links or are sailing to Israel, in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.
Britain’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Authority earlier reported two incidents of explosions in the Red Sea off of the coast of Yemen involving missiles and drones near a vessel. It also said there were no reported injuries.
The reported incidents come a week after the United States announced a multinational maritime security initiative in the Red Sea in response to attacks on vessels by Yemen’s Houthis.
Several shipping lines have suspended operations through the Red Sea waterway in response to the attacks, instead taking the longer journey around Africa.
The Houthis have vowed to continue their attacks until Israel halts the conflict in Gaza, and warned that it would attack US warships if the militia group itself was targeted.
Yemen’s Houthis claim attack on Pakistan-bound container ship in Red Sea
https://arab.news/8atvf
Yemen’s Houthis claim attack on Pakistan-bound container ship in Red Sea
- The group has attacked commercial vessels in the sea since October which it says have Israeli links
- Several shipping lines have suspended operations through the Red Sea in response to the attacks
Indian pilgrims at Sikh holy site in Pakistan urge peace as bilateral tensions rise
- Ties have plunged since New Delhi accused Islamabad of being behind latest attack in Indian-administered Kashmir
- Visiting Sikh pilgrims from India call on Islamabad and New Delhi to sit together and resolve bilateral tensions
KARTARPUR, PAKISTAN: Sikh pilgrims from India visiting the Kartarpur Darbar Sahib shrine in Pakistan called for peace recently as tensions between the two nations escalated.
Tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbors flared after a deadly militant attack on April 22 that killed at least 26 people, including tourists. India says two of the three militants involved were from Pakistan. Islamabad has denied any involvement.
After the attack, New Delhi suspended the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan unilaterally, recalled defense staff, announced the closure of the main land Attari-Wagah border crossing with Pakistan, downgraded diplomatic ties, and withdrew special visas for Pakistani nationals. In response, Islamabad ordered the expulsion of Indian diplomats and military advisers, canceling the visas for Indian nationals with the exception of Sikh pilgrims.
“Small fights and disputes happen in every home. India and Pakistan are our homes,” Lovejeet Singh, a Sikh pilgrim from India’s Punjab state, said on Saturday. He stressed the need for peace and unity between the two states.
“Let’s solve these problems together; nothing is more important than humanity. These are small issues, let’s sit together and find solutions.”
The Kartarpur Corridor, a rare visa-free crossing point opened in 2019, has allowed Indian devotees to visit one of Sikhism’s holiest shrines despite strained political relations between New Delhi and Islamabad.
According to international news agency AFP, troops from Pakistan and India exchanged fire in disputed Kashmir for the fourth night in a row on Sunday.
Kashmir has been disputed between India and Pakistan since independence from British rule in 1947. Both countries control parts of it but claim it in full and have fought two wars over the Himalayan territory.
Manjit Singh, another Sikh pilgrim from India, also called for ignoring tensions and moving toward peace.
“The tension should be completely removed and the brotherhood (between India and Pakistan) should flourish,” he said.
Pakistan finmin vows to push ahead with structural reforms at Harvard University conference
- Muhammad Aurangzeb attends Pakistan Conference 2025 at Harvard University, says state media
- Flags growth opportunities in Pakistan’s mineral resources, IT sector and green energy initiatives
ISLAMABAD: Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb vowed to push ahead with structural reforms in Pakistan’s energy, taxation, governance, and other sectors to ensure sustainable economic growth at a Harvard University conference, state-run media reported on Monday.
Pakistan secured a $7 billion financial bailout program from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in September last year, as it moved to consolidate its economy after averting a default in 2023. Islamabad has since undertaken several reforms to reduce public debt, maintain low inflation, improve the energy sector’s viability, and accelerate growth.
Aurangzeb attended the Pakistan Conference at Harvard University, which, according to its website, is the “largest student-led gathering on Pakistan in the United States,” on Sunday. The conference is hosted by university students with the support of research centers. It convenes policymakers, academics, business leaders, and civil society experts to engage in critical discussions on Pakistan’s economic trajectory, governance, and global positioning.
“Emphasizing that ‘stability is not an end but a means to an end,’ the finance minister outlined the government’s strategy, including maintaining fiscal discipline, controlling inflation, and pushing ahead with deep structural reforms in energy, taxation, governance, and the management of state-owned enterprises,” state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) reported.
The finance minister highlighted the government’s key economic achievements, which included a reduction in inflation to 0.7 percent year-on-year in March, the lowest in 60 years, an increase in Pakistan’s foreign exchange reserves, a three percent currency appreciation, and a current account surplus exceeding $1 billion in March 2025, APP said.
Aurangzeb also flagged major growth opportunities in Pakistan’s rich mineral resources, expanding information technology sector, green energy initiatives, and the country’s youthful entrepreneurial population, it added.
“Pakistan’s future will be shaped by bold, necessary choices,” the finance minister was quoted as saying by APP. “By investing in our people, modernizing our economy, and staying committed to reform, Pakistan will emerge stronger, greener, and more competitive.”
The finance minister arrived in Washington earlier this month to attend the IMF-World Bank Spring Meetings 2025. During his visit to the American capital, he met his counterparts from other countries, including senior officials of the IMF and the World Bank. Aurangzeb took part in panel discussions to highlight Pakistan’s economic achievements and spoke to international media outlets as well.
Two killed, one injured by IED blast in southwestern Pakistan
- Vehicle carrying three people targeted with an IED blast in coastal town of Pasni, says official
- Two earlier IED explosions in southwestern Balochistan less than a week ago killed 6 people
QUETTA: A blast triggered by an improvised explosive device (IED) killed two people and injured one in a coastal town in southwestern Pakistan on Sunday, a local administration official said amid Islamabad’s struggle to contain surging militancy in the region.
The roadside blast took place in Pasni, a small coastal town located around 142 kilometers from Pakistan’s port city of Gwadar in the southwestern Balochistan province.
Pasni Assistant Commissioner Moheem Khan Gichki said a vehicle carrying three men was targeted with a remote-controlled IED blast at the city’s Miskan Chowk area.
“Two local residents of Pasni were killed in the attack and one was injured, who was later shifted to Gwadar for better medical care,” Gichki told Arab News.
No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, but suspicion is likely to fall on ethnic Baloch separatists, especially the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), who often target law enforcers, locals, and tribal elders they believe are backed by the Pakistani state.
Last month, the BLA hijacked a train with hundreds of passengers aboard near Balochistan’s Bolan Pass, which resulted in the deaths of 23 soldiers, three railway employees and five passengers. At least 33 insurgents were also killed.
Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest but least developed province by almost all social and economic indicators, has been the site of a decades-long, low-scale insurgency launched by ethnic Baloch separatist groups. These militant groups accuse the federal government and Pakistan’s military of exploiting the province’s natural resources and denying the local population a share in their wealth.
Islamabad denies the allegations and claims the central government is allocating a large portion of development funds to fund health, education and infrastructure projects in the province.
Sunday’s attack was the third IED blast that had taken place in Balochistan in less than a week. Three soldiers of the Bomb Disposal Wing of the paramilitary Frontier Corps Balochistan were killed and four were injured in an IED blast on April 25.
Three people, including two women, were killed after a roadside IED blast targeted a private vehicle in the province’s Kalat district on April 24.
London police arrest man for pelting stones at Pakistan high commission, official says
- The London police have not revealed the identity of the suspect, but scores of Indians gathered outside the Pakistani high commission to protest Pahalgam attack
- New Delhi accused Pakistan of orchestrating the attack that killed 26 tourists, Islamabad denies involvement and says it is ready to take part in a credible probe
ISLAMABAD: Police have arrested a man for pelting stones and throwing “saffron-colored paint” at the Pakistan high commission in London, the top Pakistani diplomat in the United Kingdom (UK) said on Sunday, amid heightened tensions between Pakistan and India.
The London police have not revealed the identity of the suspect, but scores of Indian nationals last week gathered outside the Pakistani high commission in London to protest over an April 22 attack in Indian-administered Kashmir that killed 26 tourists.
New Delhi accused Pakistan of orchestrating the attack in the Pahalgam resort town. Islamabad has denied involvement and says it is ready to take part in a credible and transparent investigation into the attack.
“This morning [Apr. 27], at around 4-4:30am, a man came here and pelted stones [at the Pakistani high commission]. These are white stones, which are quite big and are not found here. He brought it from somewhere else. He had a bag and he [threw] this saffron-colored paint, this is like a paint, which you can see, this hit our logo and wall, and several [window] glasses were broken,” Pakistan’s High Commissioner Mohammad Faisal said.
“Police came and arrested that man. Now that man is in police custody, they are not telling us his nationality and identification details.”
In India, saffron is considered a sacred color, primarily associated with Hinduism, and is prominently featured in the national flag, where it represents strength and courage. A number of protesters, who gathered outside the Pakistan high commission, were seen wearing saffron-colored clothes.
On Sunday, Pakistan’s information minister, Attaullah Tarar, also accused Indian authorities of encouraging Indian nationals to “attack” Pakistan’s missions abroad, which he said was “unfortunate.” New Delhi did not immediately responded to Tarar’s statement.
High Commissioner Faisal said they had taken up the matter with Britain’s Foreign Office.
“This is a very big cause of concern for us as our security is at stake because, you know, our officials live on this street a little far from here,” he said.
“We will urge the British government to take action on this and punish the perpetrator behind this.”
Pakistan and India have fought multiple wars, including two on Kashmir, since their independence from British rule in 1947. Both neighbors rule part of the Himalayan territory but claim it in full.
New Delhi accuses Pakistan of supporting armed separatist militants in the Kashmir. Islamabad denies the allegations and says it supports the Kashmiri people diplomatically and politically.
The Pahalgam attack marks a dramatic shift in separatist assaults in Indian-administered Kashmir, which typically target Indian security forces.
In 2019, a suicide attack killed 41 Indian troops in Kashmir and triggered Indian air strikes inside Pakistan, bringing the countries to the brink of all-out war.
UK urges de-escalation as Pakistan-India crisis deepens over Kashmir attack
- The development comes as Indian military holds naval drills and releases images of warships firing missiles
- Deputy PM Ishaq Dar reiterates Pakistan’s resolve to defend its interests while promoting peace in the region
ISLAMABAD: The United Kingdom on Sunday urged de-escalation of tensions between Pakistan and India over a militant attack in Indian-administered Kashmir, according to the Pakistani foreign ministry, amid fears that the two nuclear-armed neighbors may go to another war.
The statement came after Pakistani and Indian troops exchanged fire in disputed Kashmir for a third night in a row, officials said Sunday, as relations between the nuclear-armed rivals plunged to their lowest level in years.
New Delhi has accused Islamabad of involvement in the latest attack in a scenic tourist resort of Pahalgam on April 22, in which 26 tourists were killed. Pakistan has denied involvement and says it is ready to take part in a credible and transparent investigation.
Amid escalating tensions, Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar spoke to UK’s Foreign Secretary David Lammy and shared the current regional situation, and Indian accusations and unilateral measures, including the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty.
“He reiterated Pakistan’s unwavering resolve to defend its national interests while continuing to promote peace and stability in the region,” the Pakistani foreign ministry said in a statement.
“UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy emphasized the importance of de-escalating the situation through dialogue and peaceful resolution of issues.”
The development came as Indian military held naval drills — releasing images of warships firing missiles — while the country’s security forces pressed on with their hunt for those behind the April 22 attack at a tourist hotspot in Pahalgam in Kashmir.
The military blamed Pakistan for the “unprovoked” firing of small arms along Kashmir’s Line of Control that separates the two countries.
“(Our) own troops responded effectively with appropriate small arms fire,” it said of the latest incident.
Speaking to reporters on Sunday in Islamabad, Pakistan’s information minister, Attaullah Tarar, said there was “no official confirmation” of any clashes at the border with India.
Kashmir has been divided between India and Pakistan since their independence from British rule in 1947. Both rule it in part but claim it in full and have fought two wars over the Himalayan territory.
This is the second time since 2019 when the two nuclear-armed nations have come close to war over Kashmir.
