Houthis claim attack on oil tankers after US launches more strikes on Iran
Yemen's Houthi rebels claim to have attacked Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea following a series of US strikes on Iranian-linked targets. The situation marks an escalation in regional maritime tensions and the enforcement of a self-declared blockade.
Why it matters
The conflict threatens global energy supply chains and risks wider military escalation in the Middle East.
Image source, Reuters Image caption, The Iranian-backed Houthis say they have closed the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a key shipping waterway and the gateway to the Red Sea
Yemen's Houthis say they have attacked two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea after 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.
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