US military launches strikes on Iran as Houthi rebels attack oil tankers
US military launches strikes on Iran as Houthi rebels attack oil tankers
US military launches strikes on Iran as Houthi rebels attack oil tankers
The US military has launched new strikes on Iran, marking the 13th consecutive night of attacks, as clashes escalate over shipping routes. The move comes after Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels attacked two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea, potentially widening the Iran war and disrupting global oil supplies.
According to U.S. Central Command, the latest attacks are designed to "further degrade Iran's ability to threaten civilian mariners and commercial vessels transiting regional waters" as the Americans push to regain control over the Strait of Hormuz and restore the flow of international shipping. Iranian state media reported explosions along the strait in Bandar Abbas and Qeshm, as well as to the northwest near Andimeshk and Omidiyeh.
The Houthi rebels threatened to shut down another key trade route, with the world economy already reeling from Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz. The threat came as Iran and the US have stepped up attacks as they vie for control of the strait, through which a significant portion of the world's oil and gas transits.
President Donald Trump threatened "major military punishment" against the Houthis if their attacks on ships continue. Trump wrote on social media that if the Houthis attack again, the US will hold Iran responsible and inflict "major military punishment" upon Iran and the Houthis.
The price of Brent crude oil spiked after the Red Sea attacks and the latest US strikes, returning to its highest level since late May. The international benchmark rose more than 6% on Thursday, and the national average price for a gallon of regular gasoline is up from last month and last year.
The US House of Representatives voted to end the war with Iran, but the Senate struck down a similar measure. The resolutions were largely symbolic and would not have forced an end to the war, but did force lawmakers to record their stance less than four months before most of them face re-election.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth asked Congress for $67 billion in additional funding for the war, prompting Democrats to question whether the administration has a plan to end the war. The US has spent an estimated $37.5 billion so far on the war with Iran, according to Hegseth.
The Trump administration signed an agreement with Saudi Arabia to develop a nuclear program, which is expected to last 30 years and involve US firms. However, the deal has raised concerns as it does not allow for enrichment of uranium, and experts are worried that it lacks guardrails to prevent uranium enrichment to weapons-grade levels.
The US has imposed new sanctions on Cuban officials and organizations affiliated with a military-run company. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he was targeting nine companies and two people linked to Grupo De Administración Empresarial for sanctions.
The US has also imposed new sanctions on more than 50 members of a Mexican cartel, including its new leader, for narcotrafficking. The Treasury Department said it had targeted the leader of the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación, Juan Carlos Gonzalez, and dozens of other CJNG members, for sanctions.
