The Iranian army said it has launched drone attacks on "power generators, navigation systems, and administrative and support buildings" belonging to the U.S. military at Sheikh Isa Air Base in southern Bahrain, Iran's state-run Press TV reported Thursday.

SANAA, July 30 (Xinhua) -- Yemen's Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi on Thursday warned of a comprehensive escalation should Saudi Arabia intensify its military operations.In a televised address aired by the group's Al-Masirah TV, al-Houthi also claimed that the group's maritime campaign against Saudi-linked shipping has yielded positive results, by targeting Saudi oil tankers, disrupting their movement, forcing 16 ships to turn back, and bringing down reconnaissance drones.He did not provide evidence to support the claims.Al-Houthi's remarks came as Saudi Arabia announced on Thursday the establishment of a multinational maritime defense alliance it said aimed at safeguarding shipping lanes in the Red Sea, the Bab al-Mandab Strait and the Gulf of Aden.According to the Saudi Press Agency, 14 countries issued a joint declaration supporting the alliance, including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Pakistan, Türkiye, Egypt, Jordan, Yemen, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Sudan, Djibouti and Somalia.Saudi Arabia will serve as the founding and leading state and host the alliance's permanent headquarters, according to the declaration.The latest developments came amid heightened tensions between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia. The Houthis announced a maritime ban on Saudi shipping on July 20 and claimed attacks on Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea, whereas the Saudi-led coalition said it struck Houthi military sites in Yemen.Yemen has been mired in conflict since late 2014, when the Houthis seized much of northern Yemen, including the capital Sanaa, prompting a Saudi-led coalition to intervene in 2015 in support of the internationally recognized government.

CARACAS, July 30 (Xinhua) -- Venezuela and Chile announced Thursday the beginning of a roadmap to gradually normalize bilateral relations, according to a joint statement issued by the two governments.In the first stage, the two countries agreed to reactivate consular relations as an initial step toward the full resumption of bilateral ties, aimed at ensuring consular protection and services for their nationals residing in both countries.The joint initiative is based on the historic ties of friendship and Latin American solidarity that have linked Venezuela and Chile since their beginnings as republics, the statement said.The two governments said the process would be grounded in constructive dialogue, under the principles of mutual respect, reciprocity and strict adherence to international law.

Jordan's King Abdullah II and French President Emmanuel Macron discussed the latest regional developments and ways to achieve comprehensive de-escalation during a phone call, the Royal Hashemite Court representing the Jordanian monarchy said on social media on Thursday.

Preliminary investigations indicated that a drone attack caused Wednesday's fire on two gas-related vessels at Damietta Port on the Mediterranean coast, Egyptian authorities said Thursday.