Houthi Blockade Escalates as Yemen Rebels Target Two Saudi Oil Tankers

Houthi rebels in Yemen have escalated their maritime blockade of Saudi Arabia by claiming to have attacked two oil tankers, Wafa and Daisy, off the coast of Yanbu in the northern Red Sea. The group's military spokesperson, Yahya Saree, said they 'successfully targeted' the vessels with ballistic missiles.

The attacks come as the Houthis accused Saudi Arabia of rerouting its oil tankers through the area to bypass their blockade farther south. According to Houthi figures, this is the eighth and ninth Saudi oil tanker targeted since the group launched its blockade last month.

Saree warned that the Houthis would 'escalate in targeting Saudi oil tankers in the northern Red Sea' to close all access points and prevent passage. This escalation has further complicated Saudi Arabia's oil exports, which have relied on the Red Sea port of Yanbu as their main terminal since Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz.