Yemen’s Houthis said they attacked two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea as the US launched its 12th night in a row on Iran.
Iranian media said two people were killed in the US strike on Wednesday, and the ship caught fire when a mine exploded in the Strait of Hormuz.
Before the latest round of strikes, US President Donald Trump had threatened to destroy an Iranian bridge or power plant if Iran attacked a shipping lane and to “take care” of the Houthis if they block the Red Sea.
If confirmed, the Houthi attack would be the first since the Iran-backed group declared a “maritime embargo” against Saudi Arabia.
The Houthis have named these tanks Encelia and Layla, although their responsibility, or the attack on Layla, has not been confirmed.
The group’s military spokesman, Yahya Saree, said they were targeting ships with drones and missiles for allegedly violating its ban on shipping.
Seree added that the Houthis have promised to continue their military operations and will continue to “enforce the ‘siege of the siege'”.
The state-run Saudi Press Agency confirmed early on Thursday that the Encelia had been hit “while sailing in the Red Sea”, causing its bow to catch fire.
Citing an official source that does not side with the Transport General Authority, it explained attack as a violation of international law. All employees are safe, reports.
The UK Maritime Trade Operation (UKMTO) reported that an “unidentified projectile” hit a Saudi ship about 130km from Al Shuqaiq in Saudi Arabia at 20:00 GMT. It says that this attack caused a fire but to no avail.
British maritime risk management group Vanguard also reported that the Saudi tanker Encelia had been hit.
The US Central Command (Centcom) said at 21:30 GMT that it had launched the strikes on Trump’s orders “to enhance Iran’s ability to threaten civilian sailors and commercial vessels passing through regional waters”.
The strikes targeted “Iranian military targets including naval forces, missile and drone storage facilities, coast guard facilities, and air defense equipment,” the newspaper said.
Kuwait, Jordan and Bahrain soon reported that they had responded to the air threats, before Iran’s military said it had targeted US assets in all three countries, according to AFP.
Iranian media reported that two people were killed in US strikes in the south of the country near its border with Iraq.
Meanwhile, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) said the Strait of Hormuz was “completely closed” after the channel explosion, Iranian state media reported.
The IRGC said it had stopped three oil tankers from passing through the road.
One truck burst into flames and two others overturned after trying to pass through a mine route south of the strait, according to Iran’s state media.
It comes after Trump promised earlier on Wednesday that he would attack an Iranian bridge or power plant if its forces hit ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi later warned of an “eye for an eye” response to Iran’s attacks.
On Tuesday, Trump told reporters that he would “take care of the Houthis” if he blocked the Red Sea as they said.
Few details of the “maritime blockade” were provided by the Houthis when they were announced on Monday, but a press official said they were closing the Bab al-Mandab Strait – the southern entrance to the Red Sea – to Saudi ships.
