Yemen's Houthis claim missile strike forced Saudi oil tanker to turn back

Houthi rebels in Yemen announced Tuesday they targeted a Saudi oil tanker with ballistic missiles, forcing it to retreat. The rebels' military spokesperson, Yahya Sarea, stated the NCC Ghazal tanker violated the maritime embargo imposed on Saudi Arabia. He claimed the rebels launched "a number of ballistic missiles" after the tanker ignored their warning calls. Sarea asserted the ship was compelled "to retroceder," though he did not specify its location in the Red Sea. The Houthi spokesperson confirmed the continuation of the maritime blockade against Saudi Arabia, which began on July 20 amid an escalation in Yemen. This escalation followed a bombing of Sanaa international airport, an action claimed by the Yemeni Army but blamed on Riyadh by the Houthis. Saudi Arabia has not yet responded to the incident, and reports on maritime monitoring sites indicate the tanker was traveling between Yanbu and Jeddah ports on the Saudi Red Sea coast. The Houthis previously claimed attacks on two other Saudi tankers, the Encelia and the Layla, on July 23, citing the blockade. This blockade has raised concerns in the Middle East and global energy markets regarding Saudi crude oil exports. The rebels maintain the blockade solely affects Saudi Arabia, adding to disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz. The internationally recognized Yemeni government claims the Houthis are acting on behalf of Iran, not engaging in a new episode of the Yemeni war. Saudi Arabia has been involved in the Yemen conflict since 2015, leading a military coalition against the Houthis and controlling the country's air and maritime space.

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a number of ballistic missiles