Houthi Rebels Claim Attacks on Saudi Oil Tankers as US Continues 12th Night of Strikes on Iran

Tensions in the Middle East escalated further on Thursday when Yemen's Houthi rebels announced they had carried out a military operation against two Saudi Arabian oil tankers in the Red Sea. The Saudi state news agency SPA, citing an official source at the General Transport Authority, confirmed that an attack had caused a fire on the bow of the tanker Encelia, adding that all crew members were safe. The Houthis said they would continue maritime operations against Saudi Arabia as part of a previously announced 'blockade-for-blockade' policy.

The Red Sea attacks coincide with a parallel military escalation between the United States and Iran. The US military said on Wednesday it had completed its 12th consecutive night of strikes on Iran at President Donald Trump's direction. According to a statement from US Central Command (CENTCOM), the strikes targeted Iranian military assets, including maritime capabilities, missile and drone storage facilities, coastal surveillance sites, and air defense systems. CENTCOM said the mission would 'continue to further degrade Iran's ability to threaten civilian mariners and commercial vessels transiting regional waters.'

The escalating conflict began more than a week earlier and has continued nightly since. The night before the latest strikes marked the 11th consecutive night of US attacks on Iranian targets, with reports indicating Tehran had threatened retaliation. At the same time, mediated talks between the US and Iran reportedly continued through third parties, according to a spokesperson for Iran's foreign ministry.

In response to the continued US strikes, Iran's Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters reportedly warned that if the United States attacked Iranian infrastructure further, Iran would block all oil exports from West Asia and target oil, gas, electricity, and economic infrastructure across the region. This threat underscores concerns that the conflict could expand beyond the immediate combatants to affect the wider Gulf region.

The Houthi attacks on Saudi tankers mark, according to several observers, the first such attacks in the Red Sea since the Iran-backed group announced a 'maritime embargo' against Saudi Arabia. Some analysts view the attacks as a possible strategy by Iran to gain additional leverage in diplomatic efforts to end the broader war, though this assessment remains speculative and is not uniformly confirmed across sources.

The developments have had immediate economic repercussions. Oil prices rose slightly following the announcement of new US strikes on Iran and subsequently reached a six-week high. Observers in Asia warned that a serious disruption to the Bab el-Mandeb Strait — another critical oil transport chokepoint — combined with the already severely affected Strait of Hormuz, could push oil prices above $100 per barrel. Asian oil importers, heavily dependent on Middle Eastern crude shipments, would have few alternatives in such a scenario.

Alongside the maritime attacks, Iran's Revolutionary Guards reported stopping three oil tankers attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz. President Trump had previously threatened to destroy an Iranian bridge or power plant for every attack on shipping in Hormuz, prompting an 'eye for an eye' warning from Tehran.

The situation remains highly fluid, with its future trajectory uncertain. Key open questions include whether Iran's threatened oil blockade will be implemented, how mediation efforts will progress, and whether additional regional actors or trade routes could become entangled in the conflict. The international community is watching closely given the potential impact on global energy markets and supply chains.