Yemen's Houthis claim attack on two Saudi oil tankers

Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi rebels claimed on Wednesday that they had attacked two Saudi oil tankers transiting the Red Sea. Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said the tankers, named ENCELA and LAYLA, were targeted for violating a blockade decision issued by the Houthi armed forces.

Saree added that the attacks were carried out using a number of ballistic and cruise missiles, as well as drones. Saudi Arabia has not commented on the claims. However, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said it had received reports that a tanker had been struck.

"The master of a tanker reports being struck by an unknown projectile which has caused a fire onboard that the crew are currently fighting," UKMTO said.

Context of the blockade

The Houthi movement imposed a maritime blockade on Saudi Arabia on July 20. This followed some of the worst violence Yemen had seen in four years, after the Yemeni government bombed Houthi-controlled Sanaa Airport to stop an Iranian plane from landing.

Saudi Arabia has rejected Houthi claims that Riyadh is imposing a siege on the Yemeni people, and critics point out that the Houthis have rejected a proposal from Jordan to resume flights between Amman and Sanaa.

Strategic importance

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, it is just 29 km (18 miles) wide, limiting traffic to two channels.

During the US-Israel war on Iran that began in late February, the Strait of Hormuz has been effectively closed. If Bab al-Mandeb is also shut, it could block 25 percent of the world's oil and gas supply. The Houthis had previously disrupted global commerce by attacking ships in the region during Israel's war on Gaza, which ended with a ceasefire in October 2025.