Houthis attack Saudi tankers as US and Iran intensify strikes in Red Sea region
The Houthis struck two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea and imposed a blockade on Saudi ports, while the United States and Iran exchanged a series of air and missile attacks across the region.
Initial reports indicate that Houthi forces launched attacks on two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea on July 22, following a statement that they had positioned missiles and drones near the Bab al-Mandeb Strait to target civilian shipping. The group announced a blockade of Saudi ports on July 20, prompting at least seven vessels to alter their routes to avoid the strait, according to ship-tracking data cited by Reuters. Despite the threats, some commercial traffic continued, with 30 vessels transiting the Bab al-Mandeb on July 22, down from 64 the previous day.
The United States conducted a series of strikes on Iranian military sites on July 21 and 22, targeting operation centers, maritime facilities, aircraft hangars and logistics infrastructure in western, northwestern, central and southern Iran. CENTCOM released footage of hits on Bushehr Airport and Larak Island, and Iranian officials confirmed strikes near Chabahar, Konarak and other locations.
Iran, in turn, fired missiles at Saudi and Jordanian targets, including King Abdulaziz Air Base in Dhahran and US facilities at King Faisal and Prince Hussein air bases in Jordan. Iranian media also reported attacks on radar installations in Kuwait and on power and water facilities there.
Hezbollah has been accused of an online campaign alleging discrimination against Shia workers at Beirut’s Rafic Hariri International Airport, a claim the group’s spokesperson denied. Hezbollah leaders warned they could shut down the airport in response to Lebanese government restrictions on Iranian influence, a move that could affect ongoing US-Lebanese diplomatic efforts.
In Lebanon, the judiciary is reportedly reviewing legal mechanisms that would allow the Lebanese Armed Forces to search private property and seize Hezbollah weapons in designated “pilot zones,” though no decision has been made yet. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio dismissed proposals for Syrian military intervention against Hezbollah, emphasizing a focus on internal Syrian challenges.