The Houthis claim a Saudi tanker attack in the Red Sea as the US carried out more strikes on Iran and tensions in the Gulf deepened.
The Houthis claim a Saudi tanker attack in the Red Sea as the United States carried out its 12th straight night of strikes on Iran. The Yemen-based group said it hit two Saudi oil tankers, while maritime officials reported a fire aboard one vessel and no casualties.
The Houthis named the ships as the Encelia and the Layla, but their responsibility for the attack was not confirmed, and the reported strike on the Layla was also unverified. The group’s military spokesman, Yahya Saree, said the ships were targeted with drones and missiles for allegedly violating its naval blockade. He said the Houthis would keep up their naval operations and continue what he called a “siege for a siege” response.
UK Maritime Trade Operation said an “unknown projectile” hit a Saudi tanker about 130 kilometers from Al Shuqaiq in Saudi Arabia at 20:00 GMT, causing a fire. British maritime risk management group Vanguard also said the Saudi tanker Encelia had been struck. If confirmed, the Houthi attack would be the first in the Red Sea since the group announced a maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia earlier this week.
At the same time, Centcom said it launched strikes at President Donald Trump’s direction “to further degrade Iran’s ability to threaten civilian mariners and commercial vessels transiting regional waters.” Iranian state media said two people were killed in the US strikes on Wednesday, while a tanker caught fire after an explosion in a mined route in the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian reports also said the Revolutionary Guard declared the strait “completely closed” and claimed it had stopped three oil tankers from passing through.
The latest escalation follows days of warnings from Trump, who said he would hit an Iranian bridge or power plant if Iran attacked ships in the strait and would “take care of” the Houthis if they blocked the Red Sea. Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, later warned of an “eye for an eye” response. The Red Sea and Strait of Hormuz are critical routes for global oil shipments, and further disruption could keep rattling international shipping and fuel markets. For Americans, this is another warning that trouble abroad can quickly hit energy costs and commerce at home.
Sources
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