Saudi-linked vessel hit in Red Sea as Houthis claim attacks on tankers

Yemen's Houthi rebels claimed missile and drone strikes on two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea on Wednesday, naming the vessels Encelia and Layla.

Saudi state media confirmed the Encelia was hit while sailing through the waterway, sparking a fire at its bow. The Houthis said the tankers had violated a blockade the group had declared on Saudi ports.

What happened to the Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea?

A Saudi-owned vessel was struck while transiting the Red Sea, according to the state-run Saudi Press Agency, citing an official source. The attack caused a fire at the bow of the Encelia, though all crew members were reported safe. The Houthis separately claimed a second strike on the tanker Layla, a claim that has not been independently confirmed.

Why did the Houthis attack Saudi tankers?

The Houthis said they targeted the Encelia and Layla for violating a blockade the group had announced against Saudi ports. The group described the strikes as missile and drone attacks carried out because the tankers ignored that blockade order. Houthi statements framed the attacks as enforcement action rather than random targeting of commercial shipping.

How is the strike linked to the US-Iran conflict?

The reported attack followed a fresh wave of US strikes on Iranian military targets, which US Central Command said began late Wednesday. Washington said the strikes were meant to further limit Iran's ability to threaten commercial and civilian vessels in the region. The Houthis' claim came against this backdrop of escalating tension between the United States and Iran.

What did maritime monitors report about the incident?

British maritime security monitor UKMTO said the master of a tanker reported being hit by an unknown projectile roughly 70 nautical miles southwest of Al Shuqaiq, a Saudi coastal city on the Red Sea. UKMTO said the strike caused a fire that the crew was working to extinguish.

The International Chamber of Shipping told AFP that the Houthis had also been issuing radio warnings to vessels in the area, cautioning that ships ignoring orders from Yemeni armed forces could be targeted.

Is Red Sea shipping traffic being affected?

The Red Sea is a key corridor linking Europe and Asia through the Suez Canal, and the latest threats have already changed vessel behavior. Shipping tracker Kpler found that several ships reversed course before entering waters off Yemen following the Houthi blockade threat. AFP's review of maritime data showed at least nine vessels turned back, including three that had already loaded oil at Saudi Arabia's Yanbu terminal.

The Houthis previously disrupted Red Sea and Gulf of Aden shipping during the Gaza war that began in October 2023, forcing many vessels to reroute around southern Africa. That pattern of rerouting appears to be resuming as shippers weigh the risk of transiting the corridor again.