Yemen's Houthis attack Saudi tankers in the Red Sea, threatening to widen Iran war

By — Elena Becatoros, Associated Press Elena Becatoros, Associated Press By — Fatma Khaled, Associated Press Fatma Khaled, Associated Press By — Collin Binkley, Associated Press Collin Binkley, Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/yemens-houthis-attack-saudi-tankers-in-the-red-sea-threatening-to-widen-iran-war Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Yemen's Houthis attack Saudi tankers in the Red Sea, threatening to widen Iran war World Jul 23, 2026 1:26 PM EDT CAIRO (AP) — Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels said they attacked two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea on Thursday, potentially widening the Iran war as international oil topped $100 a barrel. The Houthis have threatened to shut down another key trade route, with the world economy already reeling from Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Iran and the U.S. have meanwhile stepped up their attacks as they vie for control of the strait, through which a fifth of the world's oil and gas transited in peacetime, setting off a scramble for alternative routes. READ MORE: Some House Republicans defect to again pass resolution seeking to halt military action in Iran As the U.S. carried out a 12th night of strikes across Iran, President Donald Trump threatened "major military punishment" against the Houthis if their attacks on ships continue. Educate your inbox Subscribe to Here’s the Deal, our politics newsletter for analysis you won’t find anywhere else. "If they do this again, the U.S. will hold Iran responsible, in that the Houthis are a Surrogate and/or Proxy of Iran, and major military punishment will be inflicted upon Iran and, of course, the Houthis, themselves," Trump wrote on social media. As the rhetoric escalated, so did the economic fallout. The price of Brent crude oil, the international standard, spiked more than 6% Thursday, to about $100 a barrel. That is the highest level since May, before the two sides reached a preliminary peace agreement last month that has since collapsed. READ MORE: A new threat by Yemen's Houthis could widen the Iran war and put another trade chokepoint at risk Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi of Iraq, which has close ties to both the U.S. and Iran, was in Tehran on Thursday to call for peace and dialogue, and he promised not to allow Iraqi territory to be used for attacks on Iran, his office said. Al-Zaidi met with Trump earlier this month in Washington. An Arab diplomat said Gulf states are increasingly pessimistic about finding an off-ramp. The diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the situation, said regional countries like Pakistan and Turkey continue to push for de-escalation. Houthi attacks are a 'double whammy' on oil shipments The Houthis' SABA news agency said the rebels had struck two tankers, the Encelia and the Layla, in the Red Sea, leading to fires on both. There were no reports of casualties. It was their first reported att