- Houthi missile struck Saudi tanker, causing fire near Yemen.
- US launched extensive strikes against Iranian military assets.
- Trump warned Iran of retaliation for commercial shipping attacks.
- Brent crude oil prices surged above $93.
A Saudi oil tanker was reportedly struck by a Houthi missile near Yemen on Wednesday, triggering a fire aboard the vessel in the Red Sea. The Iran-backed Yemeni group is reported to have carried out the attack as tensions across the region continued to escalate.
The incident came as the United States launched its 12th consecutive night of strikes on Iranian targets, with President Donald Trump issuing another warning to Tehran over attacks on commercial shipping.
The conflict has also continued to roil global energy markets, with Brent crude rising above $93 a barrel and briefly crossing the $95 mark in after-hours trading.
US Continues Military Campaign Against Iran
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said American forces targeted a range of Iranian military assets during the latest operation.
According to CENTCOM, the strikes hit maritime capabilities, missile and drone storage facilities, coastal surveillance sites and air defence systems.
“The mission will continue to further degrade Iran’s ability to threaten civilian mariners and commercial vessels transiting regional waters,” CENTCOM said.
The US military said the operation lasted around five hours and added that American forces have struck dozens of Iranian military sites throughout July while maintaining a naval blockade against Iran.
ALSO READ | ‘Attack Ships In Hormuz And We’ll Blow Up Bridges, Power Plants’: Trump’s Open Threat To Iran
Trump Issues Fresh Warning to Tehran
As military operations continued, President Donald Trump warned Iran that attacks on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz would invite direct retaliation against the country’s infrastructure.
“From this point forward, any time the Islamic Republic of Iran shoots at a ship in the Strait of Hormuz, whether it be by Missile, Rocket, Drone, or any other device or weapon, the United States will bomb and destroy ONE BRIDGE OR POWER PLANT,” Trump wrote on social media.
The latest warning comes amid continuing tensions over the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most strategically important maritime trade routes.
ALSO READ | Iran Draws Red Line On Oil Exports, Warns US Of Regional Fallout: ‘If We Don’t Sell Oil, No One Will’
‘They’ll Be Ready Very Soon’: Trump
Speaking later at a rally in Georgia, Trump said Iran was continuing to resist a deal despite facing sustained military pressure.
“They’re not ready to make a deal because every time they make a deal, they want to change it and everything. They’re not ready. They’ll be ready very soon,” Trump said, according to the Associated Press.
He also expressed confidence that oil prices would eventually decline despite the recent surge linked to the escalating conflict in the region.
