Houthis claim attack on oil tankers as US launches more strikes on Iran
6 hours ago
Reuters
Yemen’s Houthis say they have attacked two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea as the US launched its 12th consecutive night of strikes on Iran
Iranian state media said two people had been killed in the US strikes on Wednesday, and a tanker caught fire in an explosion in a mined route in the Strait of Hormuz
Ahead of the latest round of strikes, US President Donald Trump had threatened to destroy an Iranian bridge or power plant if Iran attacked a ship in the strait and to “take care of” the Houthis if they blocked the Red Sea
If confirmed, the Houthi attack would be the first since the Iran-backed group announced a “maritime embargo” against Saudi Arabia
Reuters
The Houthis named the tankers as the Encelia and the Layla, though their responsibility has not been confirmed
The group’s military spokesperson Yahya Saree said they had targeted the ships with drones and missiles for allegedly violating its naval blockade
Saree added that the Houthis promised to continue their naval operations and would continue “enforcing the ‘siege for a siege’ equation”
The state-run Saudi Press Agency confirmed early on Thursday that the Encelia was struck “while sailing in the Red Sea”, resulting in a fire on its bow
Citing an unnamed officials a violation of international law. All crew were safe, it reported
UK Maritime Trade Operation (UKMTO) reported an “unknown projectile” struck a Saudi tankerabout 130km from Al Shuqaiq in Saudi Arabia at 20:00 GMT. The attack caused a fire but no casualties, it said
British maritime risk management group Vanguard also reported that the Saudi tanker Encelia had been hit
The attack on the Layla has not been confirmed
US Central Command (Centcom) said at 21:30 GMT it had launched strikes at Trump’s direction “to further degrade Iran’s ability to threaten civilian mariners and commercial vessels transiting regional waters”
The strikes targeted “Iranian military targets including maritime capabilities, missile and drone storage facilities, coastal surveillance sites, and air defense assets,” it said
Kuwait, Jordan and Bahrain soon reported responding to airborne threats, before Iran’s military said they had targeted US assets in all three countries
Iranian state media reported two people had been killed in US strikes on the country’s south near its border with Iraq
Meanwhile, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) said the Strait of Hormuz was “completely closed” after an explosion in the channel, Iranian state media reported
The IRGC said it had stopped three oil tankers from passing through the strait
One tanker caught fire and two others turned back after attempting to pass through a mined route south of the strait
It comes after Trump promised earlier on Wednesday to attack an Iranian bridge or power plant if its forces hit ships in the Strait of Hormuz
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi later warned of an “eye for an eye” response to attacks on Iran
On Tuesday, Trump told reporters he would “take care of the Houthis” should they obstruct the Red Sea as they had said
Few details of the “maritime embargo” were given by the Houthis when it was announced on Monday, but a media official said they were closing the Bab al-Mandab Strait – the Red Sea’s southern gateway – to Saudi vessels
The Red Sea has become crucial for oil shipments from Saudi Arabia during the US-Israeli war with Iran, which has led to the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz in the Gulf
Now, the threat from the Houthis risks further disruption to international shipping, with hostilities in the region having already led to global fuel prices fluctuating significantly
So far, at least seven oil tankers have made U-turns close to Yemen since the embargo. Saree claimedthe Houthis had “forced approximately ten ships to retreat and return”
The disruption in the Red Sea comes as peace negotiations have effectively stalled between the US and Iran
Both countries signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in June to halt military operations and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, as well as to reach an agreement to end the war over the following 60 days
But three weeks after it was signed, Trump declared the ceasefire “over” after Iranian attacks on ships in Hormuz, and US strikes in response
Trump threatens to target Iran’s bridges and power plants if Hormuz attacks persist
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