Key facts
- Yemen's Houthis claimed responsibility for attacking two Saudi oil tankers, Encelia and Layla.
- The attacks threatened a second chokepoint in the Red Sea, impacting oil supply.
- President Donald Trump vowed "major military punishment" for Iran and its Houthi allies.
- Oil prices surged past $100 per barrel following the attacks.
- Iran's Revolutionary Guards claimed control of the Strait of Hormuz.
- A Chinese tanker successfully passed the Red Sea choke point despite the Houthi blockade.
President Donald Trump stated the US will hold Iran accountable for future Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping, vowing "major military punishment" for Iran and its allies. The Houthi group claimed responsibility for striking two Saudi oil tankers, Encelia and Layla, threatening a second chokepoint and causing oil prices to surge past $100 per barrel.
The Houthis claimed missile and drone strikes on the tankers, with their military spokesman Yahya Saree asserting they violated a group-imposed ban. Despite the attacks and a declared naval blockade on Saudi Arabia, two China-owned oil tankers continued their course toward the Red Sea chokepoint, and one Chinese tanker successfully passed through.
Iran's Revolutionary Guards claimed control of the Strait of Hormuz, warning that no tankers would be allowed passage without coordination. The attacks have disrupted oil supply amid the ongoing US-Iran conflict and raised concerns about escalating conflict and damage to the global economy. US strikes on Iran have continued for the tenth consecutive night.