Saudi Oil Tanker Hit By Houthi Missile Near Yemen; US Offers Diplomacy With Iran Amid Escalation

New Delhi: Amid increased US attacks against Iranian targets, Youthis struck a Saudi oil tanker near Yemen on Wednesday. The ship engulfed in flames in the Red Sea following the attack by the Iran-backed group.

As the conflict widens, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the United States remains open to diplomacy with Iran. Speaking after talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Manila, Rubio said Iran’s economy and military capabilities have been significantly weakened by inflation, infrastructure damage and years of military spending.

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US Central Command (CENTCOM) said that American forces struck Iranian military assets, including maritime capabilities, missile and drone storage facilities, coastal surveillance sites and air defence systems.

President Trump has threatened to destroy Iranian bridges and power plants if Tehran continued attacking ships in the Strait of Hormuz. In retaliation, Iran has warned that any US attack on its civilian infrastructure would trigger retaliation. Iran’s joint military command said it would target oil, gas, electricity and economic infrastructure across the region if Washington carried out its threats.

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