THE Houthi rebels have reportedly attacked two oil tankers in the Red Sea – as the US launched its 12th night of strikes on Iran in a row.
It also comes after Donald Trump vowed to obliterate Iranian bridges and power plants for every ship Tehran shoots at in the Strait of Hormuz.
The Houthi rebels claim they struck two vessels in the Bab al-Mandeb Strait Credit: Sabreen News/X
The Houthis, a Tehran-backed terror group, claimed the Encelia and Layla vessels had been blitzed.
The announcement comes just days after they imposed a blockade of the Bab al-Mandab Strait – a critical naval trade route south of the Red Sea.
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The “maritime embargo”, announced on Monday, was implemented to block all Saudi ships.
The Red Sea has become a key waterway for Saudi oil shipments due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
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The Bab al-Mandab strait, south exit of the Red Sea, is a key trade waterway Credit: Reuters
The US continued its 12 night of strikes on Iran Credit: Reuters
The Houthis said they targeted the ships with drones and cruise missiles for allegedly violating this blockade.
The rebels said on Telegram their “specialised military operation” had caused “major fires” on two vessels.
The Iranian proxy doubled down and vowed continue the blockade, “enforcing the ‘siege for a siege’ equation”.
The Encelia was left with a fire tearing through its bow following a strike in the Red Sea, but there are not believed to have been any casualties.
Flames were seen tearing through a vessel in the Bab al-Mandab Strait Credit: Sabreen News/X
The Encelia vessel was struck, according to the Houthis (stock) Credit: Reuters
The attack on Layla has not been confirmed.
It comes after US Central Command confirmed it launched strikes at Trump’s direction for the 12th day in a row.
The US president also threatened to destroy Iranian bridges and power stations on Wednesday.
He wrote on Truth Social: “Any time Iran shoots at a ship in the Strait of Hormuz, whether it be by Missile, Rocket, Drone, or any other weapon, the United States will bomb and destroy ONE BRIDGE OR POWER PLANT.”
The Layla vessel, pictured in the back, was reportedly struck (stock) Credit: Getty
Boats float near the coast of Bab al-Mandab, Yemen Credit: Reuters
Centcom said their latest blitz would “further degrade Iran’s ability to threaten civilian mariners and commercial vessels transiting regional waters”.
Shortly after, Iran said they had targeted US assets in Kuwait, Jordan and Bahrain.
Two people were reportedly killed in US strikes on Iran’s south near its border with Iraq, according to state media.
The Iranian Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) also said the Strait of Hormuz was “completely closed” after a blast in the channel.
Centcom released footage of the latest attacks Credit: Reuters
Trump vowed to obliterate Iran’s key bridges Credit: Getty
The IRGC said it stopped three oil tankers from passing through the strait.
One tanker was set ablaze and two others turned back after trying to pass through a mined section of the strait, according to Iranian state media.
About 15 per cent of global maritime trade passes through the Red Sea – a passage enclosed by two narrow waterways – Bab al-Mandab and the Suez Canal.
Saudi Arabia has become increasingly reliant on the Bab al-Mandab Strait throughout the war in Iran – allowing the Kingdom to continue exporting oil.
But on Monday, the Houthis vowed to shut down passage through the trade artery – much like how Tehran have closed the Strait of Hormuz.
The strikes on Encelia and Layla are the first attacks since the Houthis closed the passage.
The terror group claim the blockade came in response to a Saudi blockade of ports and airports in Houthi-controlled areas of north-western Yemen.
Last week, Saudi Arabia bombed Sana’a airport in the Houthi-controlled Yemeni capital.
The attack ended a four-year ceasefire between the Houthis and Riyadh which was designed to end a decade-long civil war.
The truce was thrown into doubt earlier this month on July 3 when an Iranian aircraft ignored warnings from Saudi warplanes and landed in Sana’a airport.
It reportedly made the journey to take a group of chiefs to the funeral of the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran.
Traffic through the Bab al-Mandab Strait has plummeted since the Houthi shutdown.
On Tuesday, the trade artery saw a 34 per cent drop in traffic.
