Indian-flagged ship sinks off Yemen in attack blamed on Houthis
Yemen's internationally recognized government has accused the Houthis of sinking an Indian-flagged ship off the Yemeni coast using a boat laden with explosives. The incident comes as US officials express hope for a deal with Iran over the Strait of Hormuz.
An Indian-flagged ship has sunk off the coast of Yemen following an attack that Yemen's internationally recognized government attributes to the Houthis. The transportation ministry, which is part of that Saudi-backed government, said the attackers used a boat loaded with explosives, according to Reuters. The Houthis have not commented on the incident.
The incident is among several reported in the region. The Houthis announced a blockade on Saudi Arabia's Red Sea ports on 20 July. Over the past week, the UK Maritime Trade Operations agency has reported multiple attacks on ships in the area.
Despite the maritime tensions, oil prices fell to a three-week low on Tuesday. This came as senior US officials expressed hope that a deal with Iran could reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
US-Iran talks
In June, the United States and Iran agreed on a 14-point Memorandum of Understanding that called for a halt to military operations, the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, and an agreement to end the war within 60 days. Three weeks after the signing, US President Donald Trump said the ceasefire was "over" following Iranian attacks on ships in the strait and US strikes in response.
US officials said on Tuesday that talks have been making progress. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent suggested a deal could be reached as soon as Tuesday or Wednesday. Iran, however, has said it is not negotiating with the United States and has no plans to do so, and is instead talking to Oman.
