Houthis Attack Saudi-flagged Oil Tankers In The Red Sea, Amid Blockade Threat

Yemen’s Houthis (Ansar Allah) late Wednesday, claimed responsibility for striking two Saudi-flagged oil tankers, the Encelia and the Layla, in the Red Sea, marking the first military enforcement of a newly declared naval blockade against Saudi Arabia.

The Yemeni group stated the attack, conducted about 70 nautical miles southwest of Al-Shuqaiq, utilized ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and drones to target vessels for violating the embargo on ships transiting the Bab al-Mandeb Strait.

United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) confirmed receiving reports that a tanker was struck by an unknown projectile, causing a fire onboard that the crew fought; however, no casualties or environmental damage were reported, and the second attack on the Layla remained unverified.

The Houthis identified the targets as violating a blockade announced on July 20, 2026, in retaliation for a recent strike on Sanaa International Airport and the broader Saudi-led coalition blockade on Yemen.

Wednesday's incident follows heightened tensions, including the Houthi declaration of a "siege with siege" policy and warnings from the U.S. Navy’s Joint Maritime Information Center (JMIC) that the group had deployed weapons near the Bab al-Mandeb.

Saudi Arabia has increasingly routed oil exports through its Yanbu terminal on the Red Sea to bypass the Strait of Hormuz, which has seen Iranian-targeted attacks; the Houthi blockade threatens this alternative route, causing a reported 34% decline in traffic through the Bab al-Mandeb.

The attack occurred amid broader regional conflict, including Iranian missile strikes on Jordan and U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) strikes on Iranian military targets, with U.S. President Donald Trump threatening infrastructure strikes in response to Iranian aggression.