Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi group says it has fired ballistic missiles at a Saudi oil tanker in the Red Sea, escalating a campaign of naval harassment that threatens one of the world’s most critical shipping chokepoints.
Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said the group used several ballistic missiles against the vessel, forcing it to retreat from the area. The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), a maritime security monitor, confirmed that a tanker reported an explosion while transiting the Red Sea, adding that the crew is safe and no environmental damage has been reported.
The attack marks the latest in a series of Houthi operations against Saudi shipping since the group announced a naval blockade on Saudi vessels in the Red Sea more than a week ago. The Houthis have targeted two Saudi oil tankers named Encelia and Layla, accusing them of violating the blockade decision issued by what the group calls its armed forces.
The Saudi Press Agency reported that the Encelia had been hit, citing an official at Saudi Arabia’s Transport General Authority who confirmed all crew members were safe. The Layla was also targeted in a separate incident.
The Bab al-Mandeb strait, connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden, is one of the world’s most important shipping routes. At its narrowest point, the strait is just 29 kilometers (18 miles) wide, limiting traffic to two channels for inbound and outbound vessels heading to the Suez Canal. In 2024, about 4.1 billion barrels of crude oil and refined petroleum products passed through the strait, representing approximately 5 percent of the global total.
The Houthis, who seized the capital Sanaa in 2014 and have fought the internationally recognized Yemeni government for more than a decade, have increasingly targeted commercial shipping in the Red Sea as part of their broader confrontation with Saudi Arabia and its allies. The group said the attacks were a response to what it described as a blockade imposed by the Saudi-led coalition on Yemen.
The Houthi military spokesperson affirmed the right of our great people to respond to the blockade with a blockade, signaling that further strikes on shipping could follow.
The attacks come amid heightened tensions across the Middle East, with the US-Iran conflict over the Strait of Hormuz entering its fifth month. The Houthis, who receive support from Iran, have coordinated some of their naval operations with broader Iranian strategy in the region, raising fears of a multi-front maritime crisis affecting both the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf.
Global shipping companies have been warned to exercise caution when transiting the Bab al-Mandeb, with some firms already rerouting vessels around the Cape of Good Hope to avoid the risk of attack. Such diversions add weeks to transit times and significantly increase fuel and insurance costs.
The international community has condemned the attacks on commercial shipping. Maritime security analysts warn that sustained disruptions in the Red Sea could have severe consequences for global supply chains, particularly for oil and liquefied natural gas shipments destined for European and Asian markets.