Houthis Claim Red Sea Tanker Attacks as US Strikes Iran

Yemen’s Houthis said they attacked two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea, while the United States launched a 12th consecutive night of strikes on Iran, escalating threats to shipping through two of the region’s most important maritime routes.

The Houthis named the vessels as the Encelia and the Layla and said they were targeted with drones and missiles for allegedly violating the group’s naval blockade. Their military spokesperson, Yahya Saree, said the group would continue naval operations and keep “enforcing the ‘siege for a siege’ equation.”

The claim, if confirmed, would mark the first Houthi attack since the Iran-backed group announced what it called a “maritime embargo” against Saudi Arabia. The Houthis gave few details when they announced the embargo on Monday, though a media official said they were closing the Bab al-Mandab Strait, the southern gateway to the Red Sea, to Saudi vessels.

Saudi Arabia’s state-run Saudi Press Agency confirmed early Thursday that the Encelia was struck “while sailing in the Red Sea,” causing a fire on its bow. Citing an unnamed official source at the Transport General Authority, the agency described the attack as a violation of international law and said all crew members were safe.

The UK Maritime Trade Operations agency reported that an “unknown projectile” hit a Saudi tanker about 130 kilometers from Al Shuqaiq, Saudi Arabia, at 20:00 GMT, causing a fire but no casualties. British maritime risk management group Vanguard also reported that the Encelia had been hit. The attack on the Layla and Houthi responsibility for either incident have not been independently confirmed.

The Red Sea disruption came as the US military said it had struck Iranian targets at President Donald Trump’s direction. US Central Command said the strikes began at 21:30 GMT and were intended “to further degrade Iran’s ability to threaten civilian mariners and commercial vessels transiting regional waters.”

Centcom said the targets included “Iranian military targets including maritime capabilities, missile and drone storage facilities, coastal surveillance sites, and air defense assets.”

Iranian state media said at least two people were killed in US strikes in the country’s south near the border with Iraq. Al Jazeera reported that the attack hit the Shalamcheh border crossing with Iraq, killing at least two people and wounding 11 others. Al Jazeera also reported more explosions in Iranian cities, including Sirik, Ahvaz and Bushehr.

Kuwait, Jordan and Bahrain reported responding to airborne threats after the US strikes, before Iran’s military said it had targeted US assets in all three countries, according to AFP.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps 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. Iranian state media said one tanker caught fire and two others turned back after trying to pass through a mined route south of the strait.

Trump had warned earlier Wednesday that the US would attack an Iranian bridge or power plant if Iranian forces struck 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” if they obstructed the Red Sea.

At least seven oil tankers have made U-turns near Yemen since the Houthi embargo announcement, while Saree claimed the group had “forced approximately ten ships to retreat and return.”

The tensions come as peace negotiations between the US and Iran have effectively stalled. The two countries signed a memorandum of understanding in June to halt military operations, reopen the Strait of Hormuz and work toward an agreement to end the war within 60 days. Three weeks later, Trump declared the ceasefire “over” after Iranian attacks on ships in Hormuz and US strikes in response.