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Gulf foreign ministers are expected to meet their Iranian counterparts in Oman as regional governments seek a temporary arrangement to manage shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
The meeting could take place Monday in Salalah, according to the Financial Times, which cited two people briefed on the plans.
Reuters said it could not immediately verify the report.
The diplomatic effort comes as the wider conflict involving Iran continues to disrupt major shipping routes.
At the same time, Houthi forces have made a significant advance in Yemen. Four Yemeni government sources told Reuters that Houthi fighters reached Perim Island at the entrance to the Bab al-Mandab Strait early Friday.
Government forces had withdrawn from the island, the sources said.
The move could give the Iran-backed group greater strategic leverage over one of the world’s key maritime routes.
Perim Island sits at the entrance to the Bab al-Mandab Strait.
The waterway connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden. It also carries major commercial traffic between Europe, Asia and the Middle East.
Houthi forces also entered the port area of Dhubab on Yemen’s western coast, according to the government sources.
Control of Perim Island and Dhubab could strengthen the group’s position around the strait.
Yemen’s National Defence Council rejected the idea that the Houthi advances would become permanent.
The council said any battlefield gains were temporary. It also vowed to prevent the Houthis from using Yemeni territory to threaten international shipping.
The council said protecting the Bab al-Mandab was important for Yemen, regional security and global trade.
The reported Gulf-Iran meeting comes as governments face growing pressure over shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
The waterway remains a major route for global energy supplies.
South Korea has also stepped up diplomatic efforts.
South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun discussed freedom of navigation through Hormuz with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Friday.
Seoul said Cho expressed concern over the regional situation and called for lasting peace and stability.
South Korea has consistently supported safe navigation, according to its foreign ministry.
The call took place at Iran’s request.
Seoul recently sent an inspection team to the Middle East. Its government is reviewing options for supporting freedom of navigation but has not announced a military deployment.
Iran has warned that South Korean participation in Gulf operations could amount to support for what Tehran calls US aggression.
Commercial traffic through Hormuz has fallen sharply during the conflict.
Preliminary Kpler tracking data showed seven vessel transits on Thursday. That compared with 11 the previous day and a 10-day average of 15.
The data showed two vessels exiting the strait and five entering it.
The figures may not include ships that switched off their Automatic Identification System transponders.
Some QatarEnergy-linked vessels have also appeared in or near the waterway in recent days.
One QatarEnergy-controlled tanker, the Al Marrouna, exited Hormuz after carrying an LNG cargo from Ras Laffan to Pakistan.
The voyage represented the first known LNG shipment on a Qatar-linked tanker since late July, according to the supplied shipping data.
The developments highlight the continuing uncertainty facing energy companies and shipping operators.
Iran has welcomed comments from a senior US Navy official about damage to the US Navy’s 5th Fleet headquarters in Bahrain.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran appreciated what he described as the US acknowledgement.
He claimed Iranian forces had caused major damage to the facility and other US bases.
US Navy officials have acknowledged significant damage to Naval Support Activity Bahrain, according to reports cited in the supplied material.
The facility serves as the headquarters of the US 5th Fleet.
The damage has affected US naval operations in the region.
The Navy’s top uniformed officer, Adm. Daryl Caudle, said the service would not return to the Bahrain facility “anytime soon” because of the damage.
The USS Abraham Lincoln also faced an unusually long deployment during the conflict.
The carrier spent months in a combat zone before reaching Thailand earlier this month.
Reports have raised concerns over conditions faced by its crew, including shortages, maintenance problems and declining morale.
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US President Donald Trump has rejected suggestions that he regrets the decision to enter the conflict with Iran.
In an interview with Fox News host Laura Ingraham, Trump said he would make the same decision again.
Trump also dismissed claims that the war had demoralised his supporters.
He said his supporters remained proud of his efforts to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
Trump has repeatedly said the conflict could end after the US midterm elections.
The war has become a major political issue because of rising oil and gas prices.
Iran has consistently denied seeking nuclear weapons. Tehran says its uranium enrichment programme serves peaceful purposes.
Vice-President JD Vance has reportedly sought private assessments of the war from US military commanders.
The New York Times reported that Vance contacted commanders in the Middle East, Europe and Asia during the spring and summer.
He reportedly wanted their direct views on the war’s objectives, military tactics, casualties and Iran’s actions around Hormuz.
Vance also sought information about US weapons stockpiles.
The discussions reportedly raised concerns about shortages of Patriot interceptor missiles and other critical munitions.
Some officials also warned that moving weapons to the Middle East could affect US deterrence capabilities in other regions.
The Pentagon said senior White House officials had access to combatant commanders so they could receive a broader range of information about ongoing operations.
Washington has also expanded its economic pressure on Iran.
The US State Department announced sanctions targeting Kataib Hezbollah, Hezbollah and financial networks that it accused of supporting Iran’s regional activities.
Washington said Kataib Hezbollah had increased threats against US interests.
The State Department also cited alleged attacks against US and coalition forces in Iraq.
The measures form part of the Trump administration’s broader campaign against Iranian-backed groups.
Iran has rejected renewed accusations over its nuclear programme.
Iran’s ambassador and charge d’affaires to the United Nations, Gholamhossein Darzi, described the latest allegations as political rather than technical.
In a letter to the UN Security Council president, Darzi argued that Iran’s nuclear programme remains peaceful.
He also referred to the expiry of UN Security Council Resolution 2231 in October 2025.
The dispute adds another layer of tension as diplomatic efforts focus on preventing further escalation.
With shipping disrupted in both Hormuz and the Bab al-Mandab region, governments across the Middle East and beyond face growing pressure to protect maritime trade and prevent the conflict from spreading further.
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