Middle East Tensions Escalate as Houthis Attack Saudi Oil Tankers and US Strikes Iran
A Saudi tanker catches fire in the Red Sea while US forces launch a 12th consecutive night of strikes on Iranian military targets.
Smoke rises from a Saudi oil tanker after an attack in the Red Sea.
Middle East tensions escalated on Thursday after Yemen’s Houthi movement claimed responsibility for attacks on two Saudi Arabian oil tankers in the Red Sea, while the United States launched another round of military strikes on Iranian targets.
Saudi authorities confirmed that one of the vessels, the Encelia, caught fire after an attack while operating in the Red Sea. According to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), the fire broke out at the vessel’s bow, but all crew members escaped unharmed.
Officials secured the tanker, ensured the crew’s safety and took measures to protect the marine environment. Saudi authorities described the attack as a violation of international law but did not identify the group responsible.
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The Houthis later claimed they had targeted both the Encelia and the Layla, alleging that the vessels violated a naval blockade the group had imposed on Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea. The group said it launched ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and drones during the operation.
A maritime security source reported that the Encelia transmitted a distress call after a missile struck the vessel near Saudi Arabia’s Jizan port, causing a fire.
British maritime security company Vanguard also reported that an unidentified projectile struck the Saudi-flagged tanker approximately 130 kilometres southwest of Al Shuqaiq.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) confirmed it had received reports of a tanker struck by an unknown projectile in the same area. The agency said the crew managed the onboard fire and reported no casualties or environmental damage.
The Houthis also claimed they forced around 10 commercial vessels to turn back during the operation, although independent confirmation was not immediately available.
US Continues Military Operations in Iran
Separately, the United States carried out its 12th consecutive night of strikes on Iranian military targets under orders from President Donald Trump.
US Central Command (CENTCOM) said American forces targeted missile and drone storage facilities, maritime assets, coastal surveillance sites and air defence systems to reduce Iran’s ability to threaten commercial shipping.
CENTCOM added that US forces had also redirected nine commercial vessels and disabled another ship as part of maritime operations aimed at restricting Iranian port access.
On Wednesday, President Trump warned that the United States would strike Iranian infrastructure, including bridges and power plants, if Iran continued attacking vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran responded by warning that any attack on its infrastructure would trigger retaliatory strikes against regional oil, gas, electricity and economic facilities. Iranian officials also threatened to halt oil exports through the Strait of Hormuz.
Later on Thursday, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards reported an explosion along a mined route south of the strategic waterway, saying one oil tanker caught fire while two others turned back.
The Guards claimed they had fully closed the Strait of Hormuz and declared that no tanker would pass through without Iranian coordination.
Meanwhile, Iranian media reported fresh US strikes near Bushehr, home to Iran’s only operational commercial nuclear power plant, while state television said missile strikes near the Shalamcheh border crossing with Iraq killed two people and injured 11 others.
The latest developments mark another sharp escalation in regional tensions, raising concerns over maritime security, global energy supplies and the risk of a broader conflict across the Middle East.
