(AFP) – 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 reported that the master of a tanker indicated it was struck by an unknown projectile about 70 nautical miles southwest of Al Shuqaiq, causing a fire that the crew was actively fighting.
The Red Sea escalation followed a Houthi threat to blockade Saudi ports, increasing the pressure on key Middle East shipping routes that were already shaken by fighting over the Strait of Hormuz. US President Donald Trump had threatened to destroy an Iranian bridge or power plant for every attack on shipping in Hormuz, leading to an “eye for an eye” warning from Tehran as tensions escalated. The fighting over this vital energy waterway has resulted in the collapse of a preliminary deal between the United States and Iran, with Tehran reimposing its blockade and firing on vessels attempting to transit.
“Any time the Islamic Republic of Iran shoots at a ship in the Strait of Hormuz, whether it be by Missile, Rocket, Drone, or any other device or weapon, the United States will bomb and destroy ONE BRIDGE OR POWER PLANT,” Trump wrote on social media. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that Tehran would respond in kind to any attack on its infrastructure, asserting that “Our defense doctrine is clear: eye for an eye.” He added, “Any aggression against Iran, including our infrastructure, will compel a powerful and decisive response.” Iran’s state broadcaster quoted the military stating that US threats “will have no result other than the expansion of the war.”
Trump has faced intense political pressure to end the conflict, which Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth noted had cost the United States $37.5 billion, increasing from nearly $29 billion in mid-May. However, Trump dismissed polls indicating the war’s unpopularity while attending an airbase for the return of the remains of four US service personnel. Three were killed in an Iranian attack on a military base in Jordan, and one died during a controlled detonation of an unexploded Iranian drone in Iraq. “Americans don’t want high gasoline prices but they’re not against the war,” Trump commented. Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, briefly surpassed $95 a barrel for the first time in nearly six weeks on Wednesday. Crude futures later lost some gains but were still up about three percent.
US Central Command reported that the latest strikes began at 2130 GMT Wednesday against Iranian military targets, emphasizing that the goal was to “further degrade Iran’s ability to threaten civilian mariners and commercial vessels transiting regional waters.” In response to recent developments, Kuwait’s army announced early Thursday local time that its air defenses were intercepting hostile drones, following several days of Iranian strikes on the country. “Kuwaiti air defenses are currently responding to hostile drone threats,” the army stated on X, adding that any explosions heard were a result of air defense systems intercepting hostile targets. Jordan reported that it had downed four missiles and four drones, while air alert sirens were sounded in Bahrain, where an AFP correspondent in Manama heard an explosion. The Iranian military and its powerful Revolutionary Guards confirmed targeting US assets in all three countries.
In light of the threats in the Red Sea, Trump stated that he would “take care of” the Houthis if they proceeded with their blockade threat against Saudi ports. It remains uncertain how effectively the Houthis could enforce such a blockade, but the threat could exacerbate the shock of the Hormuz closure, jeopardizing Riyadh’s ability to bypass the strait for some oil exports. The Houthis had been spreading radio warnings to vessels, as reported by the International Chamber of Shipping. The message cautioned that “in case of non-compliance with the Yemeni armed forces’ decision, those ships will be in our target, over.”
During the Gaza war that began in October 2023, the Iran-backed Yemeni rebels targeted shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, prompting vessels to take extensive detours around Africa and leading to a US bombing campaign. The latest threats appear to have prompted several vessels to reverse course before entering waters off Yemen, according to shipping tracker Kpler, although nearly 30 ships still crossed the Bab al-Mandab on Tuesday. Maritime data analyzed by AFP indicated that at least nine ships had turned back from crossing the strait following the Houthi blockade announcement, including three that had taken on oil at Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Yanbu terminal.
– AFP teams in Tehran, Washington, and Dubai
© 2024 AFP
