UN chief alarmed after Houthi strikes on Red Sea tankers

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is deeply alarmed after Yemen's Houthi rebels struck oil tankers in the Red Sea, his spokesman said.

The spokesman said attacks on commercial vessels claimed by the Houthis risk further raising regional tensions and widening the current cycle of escalation. He said further hostilities in Yemen would weaken prospects for peace and could cause serious economic, humanitarian and environmental consequences across and beyond the region.

The source reported that the United States launched fresh attacks on Iran after the strikes by the Tehran-backed Houthis. It said the escalation pushed crude prices past $100 a barrel.