Houthis Attack Saudi Oil Tankers in Red Sea Amid Escalating Conflict with US
The Houthi rebels in Yemen attacked two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea on Wednesday, causing a fire. The attack comes as the United States continues its twelfth consecutive night of strikes on Iran.
The US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, said 'I hope they'll stop' and warned that attacks could draw retaliation and reignite Yemen's war.
Oil prices surged above $100 a barrel after the Houthis attacked the tankers. The Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea said the group targeted the Saudi-flagged tankers Encelia and Layla with missiles and drones.
The attack has raised concerns about the blockade in the Bab al-Mandab Strait, which is a key trade chokepoint. The UN Secretary General António Guterres warned that the situation is 'getting out of control' amid mounting fears over the trajectory of the conflict.