Iran Strikes LPG Tanker In Strait Of Hormuz, As Houthis Reportedly Mine Bab al-Mandab

• Houthis reportedly mine Bab al-Mandab: Saudi media reports ‘dense’ mining in the strategic Red Sea shipping route, with demining operations underway.
• Iran escalates tanker attacks & threats: The IRGC claims it struck an LPG tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, causing a major fire, and threatens further action against violating vessels.
• Vessel struck near UAE: UKMTO reports an unknown projectile hit a vessel west of UAE’s Al Jazeera, sparking a fire that has since been extinguished.
• Trump signals temporary restraint ahead of midterms: Trump rules out attacking Iran before the November midterms, while diplomatic talks reportedly remain stalled.

Houthis Mine Bab al-Mandab Strait: KSA Media

Saudi-funded Al Arabiya is reporting a ‘worst fear’ scenario on Friday, saying that Houthi militias have planted a large quantity of mines in the Bab al-Mandab area.

The report says further that Saudi-backed teams of engineers are currently engaged in demining operations in the Red Sea strait. It writes:

Engineering teams continue clearing operations and removing mines and improvised explosive devices in Bab al-Mandab.

If confirmed that such mining operations are widespread in Bab al-Mandab, this would constitute yet another major crisis for global energy shipping. At the moment, Saudi-backed fighters are focusing anti-Houthi operations along the Red Sea coast, with Saudi reports suggesting a rapid retaking of the strategic ground.

As a reminder, the Houthis have thus far signaled the Bab al-Mandab strait is ‘open’ for normal transit, but that only Saudi and Israeli-linked vessels would suffer attack. And so the Al Arabiya report, if accurate, could just be indicating some localized mining immediately near the coast related to the ongoing fight against the Saudi coalition in Yemen.

Iran Ramps Up Tanker Attacks

Things are fast escalating once again in the Strait of Hormuz, after White House officials have lately been gloating that the US Navy has overseen record wartime oil flows through the vital waterway, which each warring side is still claiming to ‘control’.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said Friday it targeted a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) tanker in the Strait of Hormuz (hours ago), with Iranian state media reporting that the vessel was attempting to pass through the narrow waterway “illegally” and suffered a massive fire.

The IRGC Navy also warned that from now on any vessels committing violations outside the Strait of Hormuz would be “punished,” according to a statement carried by Iranian state media. This is served to immediately push oil prices higher…

Separately, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported a new incident involving a vessel approximately 13 nautical miles west of Al Jazeera in the United Arab Emirates.

The vessel was reportedly struck by an unknown projectile, sparking a fire that has since been extinguished, coming after similar incidents earlier this week.

Market Reacts

Oil prices rose following the reports, while futures moved lower, reflecting heightened market sensitivity to escalating tensions and potential further big disruptions to shipping and energy flows through the Strait of Hormuz – even as President Trump has been touting the ultimate ‘success’ of the US mission.

President Trump on Thursday vowed the US would not attack Iran before the November midterm elections, tempering rising oil prices – and seeking to ‘assure’ GOP voters – amid prior reporting in The Atlantic which said the Pentagon has been ordered to prepare ‘options’ for the Commander-in-Chief to launch strikes before the vote.

Trump has also touted “productive conversations” with Iran, even though the Iranians themselves have said talks are stalemated and there’s no progress whatsoever.