Houthis strike two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea; Trump warns Iran of 'major military punishment'

Yemen's Houthis said on Thursday, 23 July (1 Mordad), that they had targeted two Saudi oil tankers with drones and missiles in the Red Sea, the group's first direct strike on Saudi shipping since its declared maritime blockade took effect. The Houthis said the two vessels, the Encelia and the Layla, had violated the blockade.

US President Donald Trump responded that if such attacks recur the US will hold Iran responsible, calling the Houthis a Tehran proxy, and that "major military punishment" would be inflicted on Iran and the Houthis themselves. The move opened a new front in the US-Iran war; Brent crude jumped about 6% on Thursday, briefly topping $100 a barrel for the first time since May.