Houthis Claim Attacks on Two Saudi Oil Tankers in Red Sea
Yemen's Houthis claim missile and drone attacks on two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea, days after declaring a maritime embargo on the kingdom amid the US war with Iran.
Developing story — this page will be updated as information becomes available.
Yemen’s Houthis claimed missile and drone attacks on two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea, Middle East Eye reported, in what the group described as enforcement of a maritime embargo it declared against the kingdom during the widening US war with Iran.
What we know
The Houthis said they struck two Saudi-flagged oil tankers with missiles and drones after warning that Saudi vessels would be targeted for violating the group’s declared blockade, Al Jazeera reported. The Al Jazeera account said the claimed strikes came days after the Houthis publicly announced a naval embargo on Saudi shipping.
The War Zone reported the escalation lands as the war with Iran “looks about to fully erupt again” and warned of major energy-supply implications if Houthi targeting of Saudi crude carriers continues. The group has previously used a combination of anti-ship cruise missiles, ballistic missiles, and one-way attack drones against commercial shipping in the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb.
What we don’t know
Neither Saudi Aramco, the Saudi government, nor the vessels’ operators had publicly confirmed damage, injuries, or the identities of the two tankers as of publication. It is not yet clear whether the tankers were hit, near-missed, or intercepted, or where in the Red Sea corridor the attacks were said to have occurred. This is a developing story and the Houthi claims have not been independently verified.
Context
The claimed attacks arrive the same night US Central Command launched a new round of strikes on Iranian military targets at 21:30 GMT at President Trump’s direction, the twelfth night of the current US air campaign against Iran. Earlier this month Saudi Arabia intercepted a Houthi missile in an apparent retaliation strike tied to the same escalation cycle, and Yemeni forces have already struck commercial shipping in the Red Sea in early July.
A sustained Houthi campaign against Saudi crude would open a second maritime chokepoint alongside the Strait of Hormuz, where President Trump this week threatened to target Iranian infrastructure if Tehran attempted to close the strait. Saudi Arabia ships a portion of its crude via Red Sea terminals feeding the Bab el-Mandeb; disruption there would compound Hormuz risk premiums already elevated by the US–Iran exchange.
What to watch
- Whether Saudi Aramco, the Kingdom’s Ministry of Defense, or the tankers’ operators confirm damage or casualties from the claimed strikes.
- Any US Navy or CENTCOM statement on Red Sea escort or response operations following the Houthi announcement.
- Brent crude and shipping-insurance war-risk premiums at the London and Singapore opens.
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