Iran attacks tanker in Strait of Hormuz; Houthis announce Red Sea blockade
Iran's Revolutionary Guards attacked a tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, forcing the crew to abandon ship. Meanwhile, Iran-backed Houthis declared an immediate maritime blockade of Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea.
Iran attacked a tanker in the Strait of Hormuz early Tuesday, forcing its crew to abandon the vessel, the British military's UK Maritime Trade Operations center reported. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed responsibility for the attack and two other ship attacks on Monday.
Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis announced an immediate maritime blockade of Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea. A Houthi official said the Bab al-Mandeb strait, through which about 12% of global trade usually passes, would be closed to the Saudis in response to the kingdom's "unjust blockade on Yemenis for over 10 years." Saudi Arabia said it would take "all necessary measures to protect its vessels in accordance with international law."
The United States conducted its 10th consecutive night of airstrikes on Iran, but Tehran has not ceded control of the vital waterway. US Central Command said the strikes aimed to "degrade" Iran's ability to attack commercial shipping, hitting military command centers and missile and drone launch sites. Iranian media reported strikes in Bandar Abbas, Tabriz, and Bushehr, home to the country's only operational civilian nuclear power plant.
Iran launched retaliatory attacks against Bahrain, Kuwait, and Jordan, which all host US forces. The three countries said they activated defenses to repel the attacks. The IRGC claimed it targeted Amazon infrastructure in Bahrain, though there was no official confirmation.
The Pentagon said nearly 100 US service members had been injured over the last two weeks, with 96% returning to duty. Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell denied hiding injury data. Three US soldiers were killed in Iranian strikes in Jordan and Iraq. Democrats urged President Trump to reverse the resumption of war with Iran.
Oil prices softened after hitting their highest levels in more than a month, with Brent crude futures easing 0.4% to $88.87 a barrel.
Iran's president said the country had returned to "full-scale war," while the interior minister traveled to Pakistan for talks. In Lebanon, the Lebanese army began taking charge of security in three southern villages as a deal for Israeli withdrawal and Hezbollah disarmament faced its first test.
