Houthis Claim Missile Strike on Saudi Oil Tanker in Red Sea
Yemen's Houthi rebels, formally known as the Ansar Allah movement, said they struck a Saudi oil tanker with ballistic missiles in the northern Red Sea, according to statements carried by TASS. The attack marks the latest escalation in a campaign against Saudi shipping that the group says is part of a naval blockade.
Missile Strike on Tanker Wafa
In a statement on August 5, Houthi Military Spokesman Yahya Saria said the rebels "struck a Saudi oil tanker Wafa in the northern part of the Red Sea near [the port city of] Yanbu using several ballistic missiles." He described the strike as accurate.
The claim follows an earlier attack on another Saudi tanker. On July 28, Saria reported that the Houthis had attacked the Saudi oil tanker NCC Ghazal with several ballistic missiles, forcing the vessel to change course. He said the attack was carried out for "violating the ban on maritime shipping" and ignoring warnings.
The Houthis also said they struck two tankers in late July. A July 23 press release said the movement attacked two Saudi oil tankers, identified as ENCELIA and LAYLA, using unmanned aerial vehicles, ballistic missiles, and cruise missiles. The release added that about ten vessels were forced to turn back.
Naval Blockade and Shipping Disruptions
Saria said that since the Houthis imposed a naval blockade on July 22, they have attacked a total of eight Saudi oil tankers. He also said that 29 oil tankers were forced to alter their course in the Red and Arabian Seas.
On August 1, the Houthis claimed they forced eight Saudi oil tankers to reroute around Africa via the Cape of Good Hope. A statement said the rerouting was part of efforts to enforce the "blockade-for-blockade" formula and came after steps to tighten the naval blockade of Saudi oil vessels.
The Houthis have said they will continue enforcing the naval blockade of Saudi Arabia and attacking its vessels wherever possible. Saria said Saudi Arabia is rerouting its vessels to the northern Red Sea, attempting to bypass the rebels' blockade of the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait. In response, the Houthis threatened to expand operations in the north to block all routes for Saudi vessels.
Naval Coalition Formation
On July 30, Saudi Arabia and several other countries announced the establishment of a naval coalition to protect freedom of navigation, international trade routes, and energy supplies through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, the Red Sea, and the Gulf of Aden. According to Al Jazeera, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Pakistan, Somalia, Sudan, Turkey, Qatar, and Yemen have joined the coalition.
The Saudi-led Arab coalition said on July 21 that it would take measures to protect commercial shipping in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. The Houthis later said they had carried out missile and drone strikes against two Saudi oil tankers in response to alleged violations of the blockade. The Arab coalition retaliated with strikes on Houthi military targets in Yemen's Hodeidah province. On July 25, the movement reported strikes on facilities belonging to Saudi Aramco in the port cities of Jazan and Yanbu.
Perspectives
The Houthis describe their actions as a response to Saudi violations of a maritime blockade and part of a strategy of "siege for siege and comprehensive escalation in response to comprehensive escalation." They frame their attacks as legitimate measures to enforce the blockade.
Saudi Arabia and its allies, including the nations that joined the naval coalition, have not publicly commented in the provided reports, but their decision to form a coalition indicates concern over the security of shipping lanes. The coalition was announced to protect freedom of navigation and energy supplies, reflecting a view that the Houthi attacks are a threat to international maritime traffic.
No independent verification of the Houthis' claims was provided in the reports.