Yemen's Houthis claim to have attacked two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea, while the US conducted its 12th consecutive night of strikes on Iran, UNN reports citing BBC.
Details
Iranian state media reported that on Wednesday, US strikes killed two people, and a tanker caught fire following an explosion on a mined route in the Strait of Hormuz.
Ahead of the latest round of strikes, US President Donald Trump threatened to destroy an Iranian bridge or power plant if Iran attacks a vessel in the strait. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi later warned of "an eye for an eye" in response to attacks on Iran. Trump also promised to "take care of" the Houthis if they block the Red Sea.
If confirmed, the Houthi attack would be the first since the Iran-backed group declared a "maritime embargo" against Saudi Arabia.
The Houthis named the tankers "Encelia" and "Layla," although their responsibility has not been confirmed.
The group's military spokesman Yahya Saree said they attacked the ships with drones and missiles for allegedly violating the naval blockade. Saree added that the Houthis have vowed to continue their naval operations and will continue to "ensure compliance with the equation of 'siege for siege'."
The state-run Saudi Press Agency early Thursday confirmed that "Encelia" was hit "while sailing in the Red Sea," causing a fire on its bow. Citing an unnamed official source in the General Transport Authority, it called the attack a violation of international law. The entire crew was safe, the agency reports.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported that an "unknown projectile" struck a Saudi tanker approximately 130 km from Al-Shuqaiq in Saudi Arabia at 20:00 GMT. The attack caused a fire, but there were no casualties, the report said. British maritime risk management group Vanguard also reported that the Saudi tanker "Encelia" was hit. The attack on "Layla" has not been confirmed.
US Central Command (Centcom) said at 21:30 GMT that it carried out strikes on Trump's orders, "to further degrade Iran's ability to threaten civilian mariners and commercial vessels transiting regional waters."
The statement said the strikes targeted "Iranian military targets, including naval capabilities, missile and drone storage facilities, coastal surveillance posts, and air defense assets."
Kuwait, Jordan, and Bahrain soon reported responding to aerial threats before Iranian military said they targeted US facilities in all three countries, AFP reports.
Meanwhile, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said the Strait of Hormuz was "completely closed" after an explosion in the channel, Iranian state media report. The IRGC said it stopped the passage of three oil tankers through the strait. One tanker caught fire, and two others turned back after attempting to traverse a mined route south of the strait, Iranian state media report.
On Tuesday, Trump told reporters he would "take care of the Houthis" if they, as they have claimed, block the Red Sea.
The Houthis provided few details about the "maritime embargo" when it was announced on Monday, but a media spokesman said they are closing the Bab el-Mandeb Strait – the southern gateway to the Red Sea – to Saudi vessels.
At least seven oil tankers have so far made U-turns near Yemen since the embargo was imposed. Saree claimed that the Houthis "forced about ten ships to retreat and turn back."
Disruptions in the Red Sea are occurring against the backdrop of a de facto stalemate in peace negotiations between the United States and Iran. Both countries signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in June regarding the cessation of military operations and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, as well as reaching an agreement to end the war within the next 60 days. But three weeks after its signing, Trump announced the "termination" of the ceasefire following Iranian attacks on ships in Hormuz and retaliatory U.S. strikes.