Houthi attack on Saudi tankers opens new Red Sea front in US-Iran conflict
Houthi rebels said they attacked two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea as US strikes on Iran continued. The strikes deepen risks to key shipping lanes and leave regional diplomacy looking increasingly ineffective.
Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels said they attacked two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea early Thursday, opening a new front as the US carried out a 12th straight night of strikes on Iran and diplomatic efforts showed little progress. The latest developments come amid a widening confrontation that has disrupted shipping and raised concerns over energy supplies.
The standoff has deepened around the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for global oil and gas trade, as the US and Iran remain locked in a dispute over control of the waterway. The Houthi move in the Red Sea has added to the pressure on regional shipping lanes and the wider global economy.
US Central Command said its strikes were meant to "further degrade Iran's ability to threaten civilian mariners and commercial vessels transiting regional waters," as Washington seeks to regain control over the Strait of Hormuz and restore international shipping. US President Donald Trump warned on Wednesday that the US would destroy one bridge or power plant each time Iran fires at a ship in the strait. Both sides have increasingly threatened civilian infrastructure, which international law generally prohibits unless it is being used for military purposes.
A day after saying the US was still open to diplomacy, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio struck a harsher note on Thursday. "The price will continue to get higher every single night until they come to their senses," Rubio told reporters while travelling in the Philippines for a regional summit. He said Iran was "begging" for a deal, but added that Trump "doesn't see a lot of utility in responding to their overtures at this point, because, frankly, Iran is clearly not ready to make a deal, at least not when they're willing to live by." Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi has said Tehran would adopt an "eye for an eye" defence doctrine. Rubio replied: "The president's policy is a head for an eye. They will pay a very heavy price for the things they're doing."
Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni was in Pakistan, which has emerged as a key mediator, in an effort to revive diplomacy, though it remained unclear what arrangement could end the war. Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar urged the US and Iran "to exercise restraint, uphold their commitments, and pursue peaceful engagement". Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned "in the strongest possible terms" the attacks on the Saudi tankers in the Red Sea, according to a statement from his office. An Arab diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Gulf states were increasingly pessimistic and that while regional countries, along with Pakistan and Turkiye, were still pushing for de-escalation, chances of improvement appeared bleak.
The Houthis' SABA news agency said the rebels struck two tankers, the Encelia and the Layla, in the Red Sea, causing fires on both vessels. If confirmed, it would be their first reported attack on a ship since they announced a blockade of Saudi-linked shipping through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait earlier this week. The rebels said that move was in retaliation for the kingdom's blockade on Yemen and a recent attack on the international airport in Sanaa, the rebel-held capital. Bab el-Mandeb, at the southern tip of the Arabian Peninsula, is a major shipping chokepoint linking the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, with around 12 per cent of world trade passing through it. A senior Houthi official said the blockade on Saudi-linked shipping would continue until the years-old Saudi blockade against the Houthis was lifted.
Saudi Arabia's state-run press agency said an attack set the Encelia ablaze overnight in the Red Sea and that there were no casualties. It did not mention the Layla. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Centre said it had received a report of a tanker being struck by "an unknown projectile" 70 nautical miles southwest of Al Shuqaiq, Saudi Arabia, in the Red Sea, and said no casualties had been reported. Asked about the attack, Rubio said he hoped the Houthis would "de-escalate". "I think the Houthis, frankly, got snookered into this thing by the Iranians. And they were smart to stay out of it, and they should stay out of it and they should stop. We'll see what happens there. Obviously, it's not a positive development," Rubio said.
Iran and the US have also hardened their positions over the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world's traded oil and gas moved in peacetime. Iran says it has the right to manage traffic and potentially charge fees in the strait, which had been open to all and toll-free before the war. It has attacked ships using a route overseen by US forces and meant to remain outside Tehran's control. In response, the US reimposed a blockade on Iranian ports and widened its strikes across Iran. On Tuesday, Trump indicated that US forces could soon target an under-construction Iranian nuclear site buried deep under a mountain. Iran's parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, who has led negotiations with the US, appeared to dismiss Trump's threats, writing on social media: "We have repeatedly said that the situation of the strait will not return to prewar conditions."
Iranian state media said US missiles struck areas near Ahvaz, Ramshir and Andimeshk in western Iran overnight, and that two people were killed in a missile strike in Shalamcheh on the Iraqi border. Iran has responded to US attacks by targeting energy infrastructure and desalination plants supplying drinking water in neighbouring Gulf countries. Jordan said its military intercepted three missiles on Thursday morning and that a fourth fell in an empty area, while six drones were intercepted on Wednesday night. Bahrain's Interior Ministry said sirens had sounded and urged people to remain calm and move to a safe area. In Kuwait, military officials said air defences were "confronting attacks by hostile drones".
The attack on the Saudi tankers, the continuing US strikes in Iran and the deadlock in diplomatic efforts together underlined how the conflict is expanding across key trade and energy routes, with no clear sign of de-escalation.
With PTI Inputs
Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels said they attacked two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea early Thursday, opening a new front as the US carried out a 12th straight night of strikes on Iran and diplomatic efforts showed little progress. The latest developments come amid a widening confrontation that has disrupted shipping and raised concerns over energy supplies.
The standoff has deepened around the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for global oil and gas trade, as the US and Iran remain locked in a dispute over control of the waterway. The Houthi move in the Red Sea has added to the pressure on regional shipping lanes and the wider global economy.
US Central Command said its strikes were meant to "further degrade Iran's ability to threaten civilian mariners and commercial vessels transiting regional waters," as Washington seeks to regain control over the Strait of Hormuz and restore international shipping. US President Donald Trump warned on Wednesday that the US would destroy one bridge or power plant each time Iran fires at a ship in the strait. Both sides have increasingly threatened civilian infrastructure, which international law generally prohibits unless it is being used for military purposes.
A day after saying the US was still open to diplomacy, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio struck a harsher note on Thursday. "The price will continue to get higher every single night until they come to their senses," Rubio told reporters while travelling in the Philippines for a regional summit. He said Iran was "begging" for a deal, but added that Trump "doesn't see a lot of utility in responding to their overtures at this point, because, frankly, Iran is clearly not ready to make a deal, at least not when they're willing to live by." Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi has said Tehran would adopt an "eye for an eye" defence doctrine. Rubio replied: "The president's policy is a head for an eye. They will pay a very heavy price for the things they're doing."
Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni was in Pakistan, which has emerged as a key mediator, in an effort to revive diplomacy, though it remained unclear what arrangement could end the war. Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar urged the US and Iran "to exercise restraint, uphold their commitments, and pursue peaceful engagement". Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned "in the strongest possible terms" the attacks on the Saudi tankers in the Red Sea, according to a statement from his office. An Arab diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Gulf states were increasingly pessimistic and that while regional countries, along with Pakistan and Turkiye, were still pushing for de-escalation, chances of improvement appeared bleak.
The Houthis' SABA news agency said the rebels struck two tankers, the Encelia and the Layla, in the Red Sea, causing fires on both vessels. If confirmed, it would be their first reported attack on a ship since they announced a blockade of Saudi-linked shipping through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait earlier this week. The rebels said that move was in retaliation for the kingdom's blockade on Yemen and a recent attack on the international airport in Sanaa, the rebel-held capital. Bab el-Mandeb, at the southern tip of the Arabian Peninsula, is a major shipping chokepoint linking the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, with around 12 per cent of world trade passing through it. A senior Houthi official said the blockade on Saudi-linked shipping would continue until the years-old Saudi blockade against the Houthis was lifted.
Saudi Arabia's state-run press agency said an attack set the Encelia ablaze overnight in the Red Sea and that there were no casualties. It did not mention the Layla. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Centre said it had received a report of a tanker being struck by "an unknown projectile" 70 nautical miles southwest of Al Shuqaiq, Saudi Arabia, in the Red Sea, and said no casualties had been reported. Asked about the attack, Rubio said he hoped the Houthis would "de-escalate". "I think the Houthis, frankly, got snookered into this thing by the Iranians. And they were smart to stay out of it, and they should stay out of it and they should stop. We'll see what happens there. Obviously, it's not a positive development," Rubio said.
Iran and the US have also hardened their positions over the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world's traded oil and gas moved in peacetime. Iran says it has the right to manage traffic and potentially charge fees in the strait, which had been open to all and toll-free before the war. It has attacked ships using a route overseen by US forces and meant to remain outside Tehran's control. In response, the US reimposed a blockade on Iranian ports and widened its strikes across Iran. On Tuesday, Trump indicated that US forces could soon target an under-construction Iranian nuclear site buried deep under a mountain. Iran's parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, who has led negotiations with the US, appeared to dismiss Trump's threats, writing on social media: "We have repeatedly said that the situation of the strait will not return to prewar conditions."
Iranian state media said US missiles struck areas near Ahvaz, Ramshir and Andimeshk in western Iran overnight, and that two people were killed in a missile strike in Shalamcheh on the Iraqi border. Iran has responded to US attacks by targeting energy infrastructure and desalination plants supplying drinking water in neighbouring Gulf countries. Jordan said its military intercepted three missiles on Thursday morning and that a fourth fell in an empty area, while six drones were intercepted on Wednesday night. Bahrain's Interior Ministry said sirens had sounded and urged people to remain calm and move to a safe area. In Kuwait, military officials said air defences were "confronting attacks by hostile drones".
The attack on the Saudi tankers, the continuing US strikes in Iran and the deadlock in diplomatic efforts together underlined how the conflict is expanding across key trade and energy routes, with no clear sign of de-escalation.
With PTI Inputs
Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels said they attacked two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea early Thursday, opening a new front as the US carried out a 12th straight night of strikes on Iran and diplomatic efforts showed little progress. The latest developments come amid a widening confrontation that has disrupted shipping and raised concerns over energy supplies.
The standoff has deepened around the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for global oil and gas trade, as the US and Iran remain locked in a dispute over control of the waterway. The Houthi move in the Red Sea has added to the pressure on regional shipping lanes and the wider global economy.
US Central Command said its strikes were meant to "further degrade Iran's ability to threaten civilian mariners and commercial vessels transiting regional waters," as Washington seeks to regain control over the Strait of Hormuz and restore international shipping. US President Donald Trump warned on Wednesday that the US would destroy one bridge or power plant each time Iran fires at a ship in the strait. Both sides have increasingly threatened civilian infrastructure, which international law generally prohibits unless it is being used for military purposes.
A day after saying the US was still open to diplomacy, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio struck a harsher note on Thursday. "The price will continue to get higher every single night until they come to their senses," Rubio told reporters while travelling in the Philippines for a regional summit. He said Iran was "begging" for a deal, but added that Trump "doesn't see a lot of utility in responding to their overtures at this point, because, frankly, Iran is clearly not ready to make a deal, at least not when they're willing to live by." Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi has said Tehran would adopt an "eye for an eye" defence doctrine. Rubio replied: "The president's policy is a head for an eye. They will pay a very heavy price for the things they're doing."
Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni was in Pakistan, which has emerged as a key mediator, in an effort to revive diplomacy, though it remained unclear what arrangement could end the war. Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar urged the US and Iran "to exercise restraint, uphold their commitments, and pursue peaceful engagement". Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned "in the strongest possible terms" the attacks on the Saudi tankers in the Red Sea, according to a statement from his office. An Arab diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Gulf states were increasingly pessimistic and that while regional countries, along with Pakistan and Turkiye, were still pushing for de-escalation, chances of improvement appeared bleak.
The Houthis' SABA news agency said the rebels struck two tankers, the Encelia and the Layla, in the Red Sea, causing fires on both vessels. If confirmed, it would be their first reported attack on a ship since they announced a blockade of Saudi-linked shipping through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait earlier this week. The rebels said that move was in retaliation for the kingdom's blockade on Yemen and a recent attack on the international airport in Sanaa, the rebel-held capital. Bab el-Mandeb, at the southern tip of the Arabian Peninsula, is a major shipping chokepoint linking the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, with around 12 per cent of world trade passing through it. A senior Houthi official said the blockade on Saudi-linked shipping would continue until the years-old Saudi blockade against the Houthis was lifted.
Saudi Arabia's state-run press agency said an attack set the Encelia ablaze overnight in the Red Sea and that there were no casualties. It did not mention the Layla. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Centre said it had received a report of a tanker being struck by "an unknown projectile" 70 nautical miles southwest of Al Shuqaiq, Saudi Arabia, in the Red Sea, and said no casualties had been reported. Asked about the attack, Rubio said he hoped the Houthis would "de-escalate". "I think the Houthis, frankly, got snookered into this thing by the Iranians. And they were smart to stay out of it, and they should stay out of it and they should stop. We'll see what happens there. Obviously, it's not a positive development," Rubio said.
Iran and the US have also hardened their positions over the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world's traded oil and gas moved in peacetime. Iran says it has the right to manage traffic and potentially charge fees in the strait, which had been open to all and toll-free before the war. It has attacked ships using a route overseen by US forces and meant to remain outside Tehran's control. In response, the US reimposed a blockade on Iranian ports and widened its strikes across Iran. On Tuesday, Trump indicated that US forces could soon target an under-construction Iranian nuclear site buried deep under a mountain. Iran's parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, who has led negotiations with the US, appeared to dismiss Trump's threats, writing on social media: "We have repeatedly said that the situation of the strait will not return to prewar conditions."
Iranian state media said US missiles struck areas near Ahvaz, Ramshir and Andimeshk in western Iran overnight, and that two people were killed in a missile strike in Shalamcheh on the Iraqi border. Iran has responded to US attacks by targeting energy infrastructure and desalination plants supplying drinking water in neighbouring Gulf countries. Jordan said its military intercepted three missiles on Thursday morning and that a fourth fell in an empty area, while six drones were intercepted on Wednesday night. Bahrain's Interior Ministry said sirens had sounded and urged people to remain calm and move to a safe area. In Kuwait, military officials said air defences were "confronting attacks by hostile drones".
The attack on the Saudi tankers, the continuing US strikes in Iran and the deadlock in diplomatic efforts together underlined how the conflict is expanding across key trade and energy routes, with no clear sign of de-escalation.
With PTI Inputs
