Yemen’s Houthis said on Wednesday that they had attacked a Saudi oil tanker off Yanbu, in the Red Sea, as the rebels pressed on with their declared maritime blockade of Saudi Arabia.

The group “successfully targeted the Saudi oil tanker ‘Wafa’ in the northern Red Sea, off the coast of Yanbu, with a number of ballistic missiles,” their military spokesman Yahya Saree said in a video statement, adding this was the eighth ship they targeted since the start of the blockade on July 22.

This development comes as US President Donald Trump warned Iran it will be “hit very hard” if it does not reopen the Strait of Hormuz. He also suggested a deal could be reached as soon as Wednesday.

The waterway, which handles a significant portion of global oil and gas supplies, has become the main sticking point in negotiations between Washington and Tehran. Iran’s control over the strait and its demands to charge tolls have ratcheted up tensions since an April ceasefire collapsed.

Trump told reporters in California on Tuesday that negotiators “had a very good day” and a deal could happen “tomorrow or the next day”.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said there was a chance of a deal by Wednesday or Thursday. Iran’s Foreign Ministry has denied holding any negotiations with Washington, even as Trump insists talks are ongoing.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed that the United States was involved in negotiations between Oman and Iran on increasing traffic through the strait.

A US news outlet reported that the three countries were close to an interim deal that Washington hoped to announce on Wednesday. According to unnamed officials, the arrangement would provide 60 days of safe passage between Iran and Oman. (AFP)