For the first time since July 13, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) did not report new airstrikes against Iran, and Tehran also appeared to have refrained from launching new attacks as the conflict entered its 148th day on Saturday.
President Donald Trump said on Friday afternoon that the U.S. is “talking to [Iran] right now. I think they’re getting more and more serious as the days go by.” Trump added that the U.S. military is “locked and loaded and ready to go, but we’re talking to them.”
The Houthis claimed responsibility for overnight attacks on two oil facilities in the Saudi towns of Jizan and Yanbu. According to the Houthis, the missile and drone attacks—which damaged buildings and infrastructure belonging to the kingdom’s Saudi Aramco oil conglomerate—were intended as retaliation for recent Saudi strikes against Yemen’s Hodeidah port and Kamaran Island. Videos posted to social media showed fires from the attacks still raging on Saturday. Saudi Arabia on Saturday launched new airstrikes against Yemen in response.
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The Houthis also reaffirmed their “maritime embargo” against Saudi Arabia, and warned they may expand operations in the coming days (in a video released to social media, they used the phrases “escalation for escalation” and “blockade for blockade”).
Seeking to distance Tehran from the Houthi-Saudi conflict, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Saturday that those hostilities “cannot be attributed to Iran” and are “rooted in old disputes.”
The price of Brent Crude oil closed at $98.38 on Friday. AAA reported the national average price of regular gas stood at $4.11 on Saturday.
