The United States military launched new strikes against Iran, according to reporting by the Associated Press, as both sides threatened civilian infrastructure. The strikes were described as intended to further degrade Iran's ability to threaten civilian mariners and commercial vessels.
The military action came as Yemen's Houthi group, officially known as Ansar Allah, claimed attacks on two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea. Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said the group targeted two vessels named ENCELA and LAYLIA, citing a violation of a blockade the group had announced on July 20. Saree said the attacks were carried out using ballistic and cruise missiles as well as drones and led to fires on the ships.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations centre, which monitors shipping in the region, confirmed receiving reports that a tanker had been struck. The centre said a tanker's master reported being hit by an unknown projectile that caused a fire onboard that the crew was fighting.
Saudi Arabia had not commented on the Houthi claims as of Wednesday. The Houthis said the maritime embargo on Saudi Arabia was imposed based on what they called an eye-for-an-eye equation, responding to what they characterized as a decade-long siege by Saudi Arabia on Houthi-controlled ports and airports by land, sea, and air. Riyadh has rejected those claims.
A journalist based in Sanaa, Hussain al-Bukhaiti, told Al Jazeera that the naval blockade had a specific goal. "The ultimate goal for Ansar Allah's naval blockade against the Saudis, is to force Riyadh to lift its embargo on the ports and airports controlled by the Houthis," al-Bukhaiti said.
The Houthi maritime campaign also disrupted broader shipping traffic in the area. Saree said the group had forced nearly ten ships to abandon their routes and turn back. The region had already been under pressure as a result of disruptions in shipping through the Strait of Hormuz connected to the US-Israel conflict with Iran.
New York Times reporting indicated that President Trump threatened to hit bridges and power plants if Iran struck in the Strait of Hormuz. CNBC reported that mediators were pushing for a 10-day ceasefire as the conflict expanded its reach across the region.
USA Today reported that Trump honored the return of four US soldiers killed in the Iran war, with Fox News adding that Trump gave an emotional tribute to fallen Army Lt. Tyler Feehan after flying the grieving family on Air Force One. The Washington Post noted that the latest combat deaths showed the risk has shifted to troops far from Iran's borders.
