Houthis Strike Saudi Tanker
Yemeni rebels continue their naval blockade of Saudi Arabia, while intense negotiations are underway to reopen the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz.
Yemeni rebels continue their naval blockade of Saudi Arabia, while intense negotiations are underway to reopen the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz.
The Iran-backed Yemeni Houthi rebel movement announced on Tuesday that it had successfully struck the Saudi oil tanker 'Wafa' in the northern Red Sea, near the coast of Yanbu. Military spokesman Yahya Saree confirmed in a video statement that the attack was carried out with several ballistic missiles, adding that this is the eighth Saudi oil tanker to be targeted since the naval blockade of Saudi Arabia was imposed on July 22, 2026.
Meanwhile, signals from the United States suggest a possible diplomatic breakthrough. President Donald Trump stated that "great progress" has been made in negotiations to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and that an agreement could be announced as early as Wednesday or Thursday. "They called me and said: 'Please, let's talk.' They want to talk. It's funny that they never said that; they always say: 'We don't negotiate.' But then they call, they want to talk, we talk," Trump told reporters before boarding Air Force One in Los Angeles.
In an interview with Fox News, Trump also sent a stern warning to Tehran. "The Strait of Hormuz will open very soon or it will suffer a very strong blow, and then the strait will open," he said. He added that he hopes there will be no need for the heaviest strike: "We have hit them very, very hard, but the heaviest blow is yet to come, and I hope we won't have to use it. I hope there will be no need. We are having great talks." He also stressed that "Iran will never have nuclear weapons." According to Axios, the US, Iran, and Oman are close to a temporary agreement on opening the strait, with Washington aiming to announce the deal on Wednesday, August 5, 2026.
From the Iranian side, however, Washington is accused of stalling. "The main reason for the delay in the agreement between Iran and Oman on the management of the Strait of Hormuz is the interference of the United States and the threats of President Donald Trump," said an informed official to Sepah News, a media outlet linked to Iran's Revolutionary Guard. He emphasized that "Tehran will not sign any agreement under the threat of such actions." At the same time, PressTV quoted a senior Iranian official as saying that "talks between Tehran and Muscat have entered a new phase, thanks to mutual understanding."
The Strait of Hormuz is a critical chokepoint for global energy trade. About 20% of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas passes through it. An analysis by The Economist warns that Iran's ability to profit from controlling the strait will "decline, but may never completely disappear." The paper adds that Iran's strategic influence could even strengthen as the regime institutionalizes its regional clout.
Arab Gulf states are already seeking alternatives. The Saudi East-West pipeline, which bypasses Hormuz and ends at the port of Yanbu on the Red Sea, transported one million barrels per day before the war, and now operates at a capacity of seven million. The UAE is maximizing the use of the Habshan-Fujairah pipeline, whose capacity has increased from one to 1.8 million barrels per day. However, alternative routes are also vulnerable. The Bab el-Mandeb Strait, used by ships from Yanbu, is exposed to Houthi attacks, and on July 29, 2026, a drone struck a tanker in Egypt's Damietta, just 50 kilometers from the exit of the Suez Canal.
Meanwhile, Israeli media outlet Kan News reported that Hamas is preparing to relocate its covert activities, including planning and cybersecurity departments, to Turkish territory. The public activities of Hamas leadership will remain in Qatar, although Qatari security forces have restricted the movement of the organization's leaders in Doha. According to Palestinian sources, this is due to Doha's disappointment with Hamas's decision to appoint Khalil al-Hayya, who belongs to the Iranian axis, as leader, instead of Khaled Meshaal, who is close to Qatar and the Muslim Brotherhood.
