Regional powers are set to meet Sunday in Pakistan to discuss efforts to end the fighting in the Middle East, as the conflict continued to expand with new fronts and rising casualties.
Pakistan said Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Egypt will send senior diplomats to Islamabad for the talks. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said he and Iran’s president, Masoud Pezeshkian, held “extensive discussions” on the hostilities.
About 2,500 U.S. Marines have arrived in the region, while Iran-backed Houthi terrorists have entered the monthlong war, raising concerns about further escalation.
The conflict has threatened global supplies of oil and natural gas, contributed to fertilizer shortages and disrupted air travel. Iran’s control over the strategic Strait of Hormuz has unsettled markets and driven up prices.
The United States and Israel have continued strikes on Iran, which has responded with attacks targeting Israel and neighboring Gulf Arab states. More than 3,000 people have been killed, according to available estimates.
The Houthis’ involvement could further disrupt global shipping if attacks resume in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait off the Red Sea, a key route through which about 12% of global trade typically passes.