Two weeks after the resumption of hostilities, Donald Trump is "far from finished" with Iran.

US President Donald Trump asserted on Tuesday that his country was "far from finished" with Iran, two weeks after the resumption of hostilities against the Islamic Republic, which is tightening its grip on the Strait of Hormuz. In Yemen, the Houthi rebels, allies of Tehran, are threatening to disrupt traffic on the other side of the Arabian Peninsula.

The conflict in the Middle East is becoming entrenched. The United States is "far from finished" with Iran, warned Donald Trump on Tuesday, July 21, two weeks after the resumption of hostilities that threaten to spread to the Red Sea and further affect the global economy.

As the Islamic Republic tightens its grip on the strategic Strait of Hormuz, its Yemeni allies, the Houthi rebels, threaten to disrupt shipping across the Arabian Peninsula. If the Houthi threat persists, it would cut off access to Saudi Arabia's Red Sea ports, crucial for bypassing the Strait of Hormuz. The kingdom is the world's leading exporter of crude oil.

As a result, the price of a barrel of Brent crude, the international benchmark, ended the session above $90 for the first time since early June.

The Americans will "deal with" the Houthis if they implement this maritime blockade, President Donald Trump warned.

Two ships turn back in the Red Sea

The United States had already taken action against these rebels when they disrupted maritime traffic during the Gaza war, conducting drone and missile attacks against ships. The Houthis exploit the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a bottleneck at its southern end, which ships must navigate to reach the Suez Canal.

Maritime security firm Vanguard Tech identified for the first time on Tuesday two ships that turned back in the Red Sea after loading Saudi crude in the port of Yanbu, following the Houthi announcement.

Iran, for its part, is still blockading the Strait of Hormuz, where it has targeted several ships in recent days. Tehran is also retaliating against the American strikes by targeting US regional allies.

"If we left now, it would take Iran 20, 25 years to rebuild. But we're not finished at all," Donald Trump said from the White House.

The IEA is worried

The International Energy Agency (IEA) has expressed "concerns about security of supply" of oil, noting however that "mitigating factors" exist.

Tensions surrounding the Strait of Hormuz reignited Iranian-American hostilities on July 7, shattering the memorandum of understanding signed in mid-June aimed at a lasting settlement of the conflict. The conflict began with the Israeli-American offensive against Iran on February 28, before a ceasefire in April.

Iran, which believes it is facing "total war" from Washington, was hit again on Monday night, particularly in Shiraz, nearly 200 km from the Gulf, and in the Fars province (central), according to the local Mehr agency.

Donald Trump has vowed to make Iran "pay the price many times over" for the death of every American soldier, following the deaths of three troops in Jordan and Iraq in recent days. On the Iranian side, the latest official figures released on Friday list at least 50 dead and more than 500 wounded since the first skirmishes in late June.

"The enemy should prepare for waves of drones and even more decisive and powerful missile attacks," warned Iran's Revolutionary Guard, one of the most powerful armies in the Middle East.

Kuwait accuses Iran of attacking power plants and water desalination facilities, crucial installations for cooling and supplying drinking water to its millions of inhabitants, in one of the driest regions in the world.

To reduce pressure on the grid, a resident, Khaled al-Badri, told AFP that he turns off his air conditioning before leaving home and switches off his outdoor lights. "Everyone can contribute to getting us through this period," he believes.