Yemen’s Houthis say they have attacked two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea as the US launched its 12th consecutive night of strikes on Iran. <\/p>\n
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. <\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
If confirmed, the Houthi attack would be the first since the Iran-backed group announced a “maritime embargo” against Saudi Arabia.<\/p>\n
The Houthis named the tankers as the Encelia and the Layla, though their responsibility has not been confirmed.<\/p>\n
The group’s military spokesperson Yahya Saree said they had targeted the ships with drones and missiles for allegedly violating its naval blockade. <\/p>\n
Saree added that the Houthis promised to continue their naval operations and would continue “enforcing the ‘siege for a siege’ equation”. <\/p>\n
The state-run Saudi Press Agency confirmed early on Thursday that the Encelia was struck “while sailing in the Red Sea”, resulting in a fire on its bow. <\/p>\n
Citing an unnamed official source at the Transport General Authority, it described the attack as a violation of international law. All crew were safe, it reported.<\/p>\n
UK Maritime Trade Operation (UKMTO) reported an “unknown projectile” struck a Saudi tanker about 130km from Al Shuqaiq in Saudi Arabia at 20:00 GMT. The attack caused a fire but no casualties, it said.<\/p>\n
British maritime risk management group Vanguard also reported that the Saudi tanker Encelia had been hit. <\/p>\n
The attack on the Layla has not been confirmed. <\/p>\n
US Central Command (Centcom) said at 21:30 GMT it had launched strikes at Trump’s direction “to further degrade Iran’s ability to threaten civilian mariners and commercial vessels transiting regional waters”.<\/p>\n
The strikes targeted “Iranian military targets including maritime capabilities, missile and drone storage facilities, coastal surveillance sites, and air defense assets,” it said.<\/p>\n
Kuwait, Jordan and Bahrain soon reported responding to airborne threats, before Iran’s military said they had targeted US assets in all three countries, according to AFP.<\/p>\n
Iranian state media reported two people had been killed in US strikes on the country’s south near its border with Iraq. <\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) said the Strait of Hormuz was “completely closed” after an explosion in the channel, Iranian state media reported. <\/p>\n
The IRGC said it had stopped three oil tankers from passing through the strait.<\/p>\n
One tanker caught fire and two others turned back after attempting to pass through a mined route south of the strait, according to Iranian state media.<\/p>\n
It comes after Trump promised earlier on Wednesday to attack an Iranian bridge or power plant<\/a> if its forces hit ships in the Strait of Hormuz. <\/p>\n Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi later warned of an “eye for an eye” response to attacks on Iran.<\/p>\n On Tuesday, Trump told reporters he would “take care of the Houthis” should they obstruct the Red Sea as they had said. <\/p>\n