Iran Escalates Attacks as Houthis Blockade Saudi Shipping
Iran has claimed fresh attacks on ships and a US-linked facility as tensions across the Middle East continue to intensify, while Yemen’s Houthi movement has announced a maritime blockade targeting Saudi Arabia.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard said it attacked a tanker in the Strait of Hormuz early Tuesday, forcing the crew to abandon the vessel. It also claimed responsibility for attacks on two other ships in the strategic waterway.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations centre confirmed that a tanker had come under attack off the coast of Oman.
The Houthis, meanwhile, said they were imposing an immediate maritime blockade on Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea.
A Houthi official said the Bab al-Mandeb Strait would be closed to Saudi vessels, accusing Riyadh of maintaining what the group described as a prolonged blockade against Yemen.
Saudi Arabia said it would take all necessary measures to protect its vessels in accordance with international law.
The latest escalation comes as the United States continues its air campaign against Iran, which has now entered its 10th consecutive night.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said the country had returned to “full-scale war”, while Iran’s Interior Minister travelled to Pakistan for talks amid efforts to mediate in the conflict.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard also claimed it had launched an attack on a US military facility in Jordan.
Jordanian state television earlier reported that three missiles launched from Iran had been intercepted after air raid sirens sounded in Amman.
The escalation follows the deaths of US service members in an Iranian strike on an airbase in Jordan, as Tehran continues targeting countries in the Gulf region that host American forces.
Iranian state media also reported that the Revolutionary Guard had targeted infrastructure belonging to US company Amazon in Bahrain.
The claim was not independently verified, and Bahraini authorities had not immediately confirmed it.
The latest developments have raised fresh concerns about the safety of international shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab al-Mandeb, two vital routes for global energy supplies and trade.
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