Men stand on a painting of the American flag and salute during a demonstration by university students to show support for the Houthi movement amid heightened tensions with Saudi Arabia on the campus of Sanaa University in Yemen’s Houthi-held capital Sanaa on July 22, 2026.
Mohamed Huwais | AFP | Getty Images
The Tehran-backed Houthis have claimed to have attacked two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea, threatening to open a new front in the Middle East conflict as the United States completes a 12-night offensive against Iran.
Yemen’s Houthis announced on Wednesday that they had targeted two Saudi oil tankers, Enseria and Laila, with drones and missiles for allegedly violating a naval blockade.
If confirmed, the attack would be the first since the insurgents announced a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia.
The state-run Saudi Press Agency (SPA) confirmed that the Enseria was targeted while sailing in the Red Sea and a fire broke out in the bow. Citing an unnamed official from the Transport Directorate, the agency reported that all crew members were safe and said the attack was a violation of international law.
SPA did not provide updated information on the tanker Layla.
Separately, the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported on Wednesday that an “unknown projectile” had struck a Saudi oil tanker about 130 kilometers from the Saudi coastal city of Al Shuqaiq. UKMTO announced that the incident caused a fire on board, but there were no casualties.
Overnight, U.S. Central Command announced that U.S. forces had completed additional strikes against Iran, striking military targets including maritime capabilities, missile and drone storage facilities, and air defense assets.
“This attack further reduces Iran’s ability to attack civilian seafarers and commercial vessels,” Centcom said in a statement.
He added that the US military has resumed its blockade of the Islamic Republic at sea this month, while targeting dozens of Iranian military facilities on land. As of Thursday evening, Centcom said it had rerouted nine commercial ships and disabled one vessel to prevent ships from entering and leaving Iranian ports.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters on Thursday that Iran was not yet ready for a deal, “at least not one that Iran would be willing to abide by.”
“They’re going to continue to pay a price, and that price is going to get higher and higher every night,” Rubio said.
Asked for his reaction to the Houthi-claimed attack on two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea, Rubio said: “I hope they stop. They really shouldn’t do that. They were tricked into this by the Iranians.”
Oil prices over the past month.
Oil prices rose on Thursday morning, extending recent gains as the United States and Iran escalated hostilities.
International benchmark Brent crude oil futures (for September delivery) were last up 3.6%, trading at $97.46 per barrel. Meanwhile, US West Texas Intermediate futures (for September delivery) rose 2.7% to $89.14.
President Trump threatens Iranian bridges, power plants
At least seven ships have changed course to avoid transiting the Bab el-Mandeb Strait in light of the Houthi blockade of Saudi ports, Washington-based think tank Institute for the Study of War said in its latest update. The Bab el-Mandeb Strait is a key point for commercial shipping linking the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and world markets.
According to ISW, the US is also increasingly attacking Iranian targets outside southern Iran, including in western and northwestern Iran.
A woman walks past war-themed graffiti and murals painted on walls along a street in the capital, Tehran, July 22, 2026, as daily life continues under the shadow of rising military tensions between the United States and Iran and as air defense systems are activated at night.
Fatemeh Bahrami | Anadolu | Getty Images
President Donald Trump has warned that the United States will destroy Iranian bridges and power plants every time Iran attacks ships in the strategic Strait of Hormuz, signaling a further break in the interim peace agreement signed by the two countries last month.
“From now on, every time the Islamic Republic of Iran fires at a ship in the Strait of Hormuz, whether by missiles, rockets, drones, or other devices or weapons, the United States will bomb and destroy one of its bridges or power plants,” President Trump said in a post on Truth Social on Wednesday.
Iran said it would retaliate with attacks on U.S.-linked infrastructure and energy assets in the region.
