Yemen's Houthi group claimed on Thursday, 23 July that its forces carried out a military operation targeting two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea, alleging the vessels had violated the group's recently imposed maritime embargo on ships calling at Saudi ports. The claims have not been independently verified, and Saudi Arabia had not issued an immediate response.

What the Houthis Said

Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea, speaking in a statement broadcast on the group's Al-Masirah television, said forces targeted the tankers — identified as ENCELIA and LAYLA — using 'ballistic and cruise missiles, as well as drones.' Sarea claimed the strikes caused fires to engulf both vessels and had 'successfully achieved their objectives.'

The statement did not specify the precise location of the strikes, provided no evidence of the alleged damage, and made no mention of casualties.

UKMTO Confirms Incident Involving One Tanker

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) separately confirmed receiving a report of an incident involving a tanker approximately 70 nautical miles southwest of Al Shuqaiq, Saudi Arabia. In a warning posted on social media platform X, UKMTO said the vessel's master reported being struck by an 'unknown projectile,' igniting a fire on board that the crew was working to extinguish. UKMTO did not link the incident to the Houthi claim or identify the vessel by name.

The Embargo Behind the Strikes

The attack came just two days after the Houthis announced expanded maritime restrictions targeting vessels trading with Saudi ports, explicitly warning that ships violating the measure could become 'subject to targeting.' The group said the embargo was a direct response to the continued closure of Sanaa International Airport, for which it blamed Saudi Arabia's backing of restrictions on air traffic to Houthi-controlled territory.

Broader Context: Red Sea Under Sustained Threat

The Houthis have mounted a sustained campaign against commercial shipping since the onset of the Gaza war, deploying missiles, drones, and naval weapons against vessels they accused of links to Israel and the United States. The campaign has already forced major shipping companies to reroute vessels away from the Red Sea — a critical corridor for global trade and energy flows — adding significantly to freight costs and transit times.

This latest escalation also unfolds against the backdrop of heightened US-Iran tensions over control of the Strait of Hormuz, compounding risks across the broader region's maritime lanes.

Yemen's Conflict and What Comes Next

Yemen has been engulfed in civil war since late 2014, when the Houthis seized the capital Sanaa and much of northern Yemen, prompting a Saudi-led coalition to intervene in support of the internationally recognised Yemeni government in 2015. A UN-brokered truce in 2022 had raised hopes of de-escalation, but the latest strikes on Saudi tankers have fuelled concern that fragile progress may be unravelling.

With the Houthis signalling no intent to scale back their maritime campaign, shipping operators and regional governments face renewed pressure to assess risk across Red Sea routes in the days ahead.