London condemns Houthi strikes on Saudi oil tankers, urges group to halt hostilities

The UK on Thursday strongly condemned Houthi attacks on Saudi oil tankers, warning the strikes pose a serious threat to lives, the environment and regional security.

"We stand in solidarity with Saudi Arabia & urge the Houthis to stop," the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office wrote on the US social media company X.

The UK Maritime Trade Operations agency said a tanker caught fire after being struck about 70 nautical miles southwest of the Saudi port of Al Shuqaiq.

Yemen's Houthi group claimed responsibility for the strike, saying it targeted two Saudi tankers with drones and missiles for violating its declared maritime blockade.

The attacks heightened fears that shipping disruptions affecting the Strait of Hormuz could spread to the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, key transit routes for global crude oil and fuel shipments.

The strikes came hours after US President Donald Trump warned that Washington would strike an Iranian bridge or power plant each time Tehran attacked a vessel in the Strait of Hormuz.

The warning pointed to a further escalation following the collapse of the US-Iran ceasefire.

Iran responded by warning that it would retaliate against US-linked infrastructure and energy assets across the region if Washington carried out the threatened strikes.