Houthis attack Saudi oil tankers as US-Iran War explodes into new front
Yemen's Houthi rebels have claimed responsibility for missile and drone strikes on two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea. This escalation occurs amid ongoing US military strikes against Iranian targets, signaling a potential expansion of the regional conflict.
Why it matters
The expansion of hostilities into the Red Sea threatens critical global energy shipping routes and risks further destabilizing the Middle East.
DUBAI, July 23 — Yemen’s Houthi rebels claimed to have struck two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea on Wednesday, potentially opening a new front in the US-Iran war engulfing the region.
The claim came as the United States launched a fresh wave of strikes on Iranian military targets, marking the twelfth consecutive night of US attacks on Iran.
The Houthis said they had carried out missile and drone strikes on two Saudi tankers that “violated the blockade”, naming the vessels as the Encelia and the Layla.
British naval security monitor UKMTO said the master of a tanker reported being struck by an unknown projectile about 70 nautical miles southwest of Al Shuqaiq, causing a fire that the crew was fighting.
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