US Launches 13th Night of Strikes on Iran as Houthi Threat Grows in Red Sea
Dragon Media News Desk
The United States military says it has completed a 13th consecutive night of air and missile strikes against Iran. Meanwhile, Yemen’s Houthi movement has claimed attacks on two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea and threatened to prevent Saudi-linked vessels from passing through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
According to The Associated Press, US Central Command said the latest operation was intended to further weaken Iran’s ability to threaten civilian mariners and commercial vessels in regional waters. The strikes reportedly ended shortly before 5 a.m. local time on Friday.
Iranian media reported that the US attacks affected a Revolutionary Guard naval base, Qeshm Island and sites in the provinces of Khuzestan, Fars and Isfahan. Iranian authorities also reported casualties in several locations, although all details have not been independently verified.
The Houthis said they targeted two Saudi-flagged oil tankers with missiles and drones. The Associated Press reported that Saudi Arabia’s state news agency and the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations confirmed that a tanker caught fire following an attack in the Red Sea. No casualties were reported.
The Houthi movement said its restrictions on Saudi-linked shipping were a response to Saudi Arabia’s blockade of Yemen and a recent attack on the international airport in the Houthi-controlled capital, Sanaa. The Saudi military, however, said it would protect international navigation and respond swiftly to any threats against passing vessels.
The Bab el-Mandeb Strait connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden. Around 12 per cent of global trade and nearly one-quarter of the world’s container traffic normally pass through the route, according to the AP. With shipping through the Strait of Hormuz already severely disrupted, instability in Bab el-Mandeb could place simultaneous pressure on global oil supplies and international trade.
US President Donald Trump has warned of major military action if Houthi attacks on shipping continue. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has also urged the Houthis to halt the attacks and avoid becoming more deeply involved in the regional conflict.
The possibility that the US-Iran conflict could expand from the Strait of Hormuz into the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb has further complicated the security situation in West Asia. The conflict now poses growing risks not only to military installations but also to oil transportation, maritime insurance, shipping costs and the wider global economy.
