Houthi Red Sea attacks drive oil prices above 100 dollars, Trump threatens "significant military punishment" against Iran

1. Yemen's Houthi forces claimed to have attacked two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea, expanding the Middle East conflict to the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, the world's second major maritime chokepoint. Affected by this, Brent crude oil jumped more than 7% on Thursday, breaking above $100 per barrel for the first time since May, marking one of the most dramatic single-day gains since the outbreak of the war.2. U.S. President Trump stated on Truth Social that if Houthi forces launch attacks again, Iran will be held responsible, and he pledged to impose "major military punishment" on Iran and its allies. He said he is considering launching large-scale military operations against Iran again, stating "they haven't suffered enough yet." The U.S. military has carried out airstrikes against Iran for the 13th consecutive night, while Iran has fired at targets in neighboring countries hosting U.S. troops.3. According to Iranian and Yemeni sources, in the days before the Houthis announced the blockade, Tehran had already airlifted Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commanders, military advisors, and missile and drone equipment to Yemen. Trump stated that the United States will use Iran's frozen assets to compensate for the loss of ships and cargo, which could further escalate the economic confrontation.4. Iran claimed to have attacked U.S. missile systems in Jordan and U.S. facilities in Kuwait. The Jordanian military claimed to have intercepted four Iranian missiles and six drones. An Iranian military spokesperson stated that as long as the United States continues to attack Iranian infrastructure and coastal areas, Iran will continue to retaliate.5. The U.S. House of Representatives passed a resolution on Thursday requiring Trump to stop military action against Iran without congressional authorization; however, hours later, the Senate rejected a separate but similar bill. Red Sea maritime insurance costs have doubled following the attack reports. The head of diplomatic affairs for Yemen's Houthi forces responded that they are prepared to deal with U.S. military actions.