US and Iran Trade Strikes as Houthi Attacks Disrupt Oil

The United States and Iran engaged in reciprocal military strikes on July 25, 2026, marking the 13th consecutive night of conflict. Donald Trump authorized bombardments of Iranian military sites in Isfahan, Khuzestan, and Fars provinces, as well as assets on Qeshm Island. In response, Iran's Revolutionary Guard targeted U.S. bases in Kuwait and a Navy Fifth Fleet watchtower in Bahrain. Concurrently, the U.S. military disabled the merchant vessel M/T Lavine in the Gulf of Oman after the crew repeatedly attempted to breach a naval blockade.

Iran has filed a formal complaint with the United Nations accusing the U.S. of a war crime for attacking two maritime search-and-rescue vessels, Naji-15 and Naji-16, within Iranian territorial waters. The United Nations warned that these hostilities, combined with resumed Houthi attacks on Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea, risk drawing Yemen deeper into the conflict and causing severe humanitarian consequences.

The maritime crisis has effectively shut down the Strait of Hormuz, pushing Brent crude prices toward 100 dollars per barrel. To mitigate the disruption, Saudi Arabia has begun rerouting crude oil via pipeline to the Red Sea, though Houthi rebels continue to target shipping in the Bab el-Mandab Strait. While President Trump described ongoing negotiations as the most serious to date, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi dismissed the need for more mediators and stated Iran would not yield to pressure.