President Trump warned that he would "hold Iran accountable" for the recent Houthi strikes on tankers in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, saying: "If it happens again, the US will hold Iran responsible, because the Houthis are puppets or proxies of Iran. In the event of a repeat attack, Iran and the Houthis themselves will receive a severe military strike."

On his Truth Social platform, the US president also said: "Let this statement be a warning: until further notice any damage caused to ships, cargoes or related assets will be paid for with Iranian money under US control. That damage may be significant, but it is a fair and reasonable solution."

Trump's remarks followed Houthi attacks on two Saudi tankers this week, which forced other vessels to change course and seek alternative routes out of the Middle East. However, two Chinese tankers reportedly transited the Bab el-Mandeb Strait without incident. Yemen's Houthis, who have ties to Iran, over the weekend declared a naval blockade of Saudi Arabia and said they would attack any tankers linked to the OPEC oil giant. To bypass the Strait of Hormuz, Saudi Arabia is using the Red Sea port of Yanbu, shipping 4–5 million barrels of oil from there each day.

Meanwhile, Iran also issued a warning to the United States and the international community. "In a region where we cannot sell oil, no one will be able to sell it. If our security is threatened, no infrastructure will be safe. Ensuring the security of the strait depends on the absence of American troops. We have repeatedly stated that the situation in the strait will not return to pre-war conditions," said Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, speaker of the Iranian parliament and the main negotiator with the US.

Meanwhile, oil is trading near a one-month high.