NEW YORK, April 15. /TASS/. The Yemeni rebel movement Ansar Allah (Houthis) and Iraqi Shiite militias could become active participants in the conflict between Iran and the United States and Israel over the American blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, an analytical report by CNN says.

It notes that the blockade of the Strait could only escalate the conflict. CNN reported, citing an analyst who noted that Iran "has already retaliated against previous US and Israeli attacks by blowing up crucial energy infrastructure in Qatar and Saudi Arabia, but now Iranian allies in the region, "including the Houthis and Iranian-backed militias in Iraq, could also enter the conflict in a broader way than they already have," attacking American ships and tankers.

The United States and Israel launched a military operation against Iran on February 28. Major Iranian cities, including Tehran, were struck. The White House justified the attack by citing alleged missile and nuclear threats from Iran. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced a retaliatory operation, targeting sites in Israel. Iranian authorities also decided to close the Strait of Hormuz to vessels associated with the United States, Israel, and countries that supported the aggression against the Islamic Republic. On April 7, the US president announced a two-week mutual ceasefire with the Islamic Republic.

On April 11, the parties held several rounds of talks in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad. The Iranian delegation was led by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, and the US delegation by Vice President J.D. Vance. As Tehran and Washington later reported, the parties failed to reach an agreement on a long-term settlement to the conflict due to a number of differences. The United States Navy said it would enforce a blockade on Iran preventing ships from passing through the Strait of Hormuz starting April 13.