Houthis Claim Strikes on Saudi Oil Tankers in Red Sea
3 days ago
At a glance
- Houthis claim missile and drone strikes on two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea.
- The group previously announced a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia.
- Saudi Arabia and the US have warned against Houthi blockade threats.
Story so far
Yemen’s Houthi organization Ansarullah previously announced a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia, threatening intensified retaliatory actions if the blockade continued. The Houthis also linked this to the closure of Sana’a airport. The Saudi military coalition warned that threats of a naval blockade would be met with force, emphasizing efforts to protect ships in the Bab el-Mandeb strait. US President Donald Trump also stated the US would "take care of" the Houthis if they proceeded with the blockade. Two oil tankers carrying Saudi crude had previously reversed course while heading toward the Bab el-Mandeb strait following Houthi warnings. Now, the Houthis claim to have directly attacked two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea.
Latest development
Yemen’s Houthi rebels have claimed responsibility for missile and drone strikes on two Saudi oil tankers, the Encelia and Layla, in the Red Sea on Wednesday. This action follows their declaration of a maritime embargo on Saudi Arabia.
Latest updates
Yemen’s Houthi rebels stated they carried out missile and drone strikes on Wednesday against two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea. The tankers, identified as the Encelia and the Layla, were reportedly targeted after the Houthis declared a maritime embargo on Saudi Arabia amidst the US war with Iran.
Two oil tankers carrying Saudi crude reversed course while heading toward the Bab el-Mandeb strait on Tuesday, following threats from Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis. The Houthis have vowed to blockade Saudi Arabian oil shipments from moving through the strait.
US President Donald Trump stated on Tuesday that the United States would “take care of” the Houthis if the group proceeds with its threatened blockade of Saudi ports. Trump remarked, “If something like that happens, we take care of it,” adding that the US had intervened against the Houthis before, after which “we haven’t heard from them in a while.”
The Houthi organization has claimed to have shut down the Bab al-Mandab strait, linking this action to the closure of Sana’a airport. This claim suggests a potential escalation in the ongoing Red Sea crisis.
The United Nations has expressed concern over the Houthi threat to blockade the Red Sea.
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