Houthi Rebels Escalate Attacks on Saudi Oil Tankers in Northern Red Sea

The Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen claim to have attacked a Saudi oil tanker off the coast of Yanbu in the Red Sea. This is reportedly the eighth such attack since their declared maritime blockade of Saudi Arabia began on July 22.

According to Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree, they successfully targeted the 'Wafa' oil tanker with ballistic missiles. The group has vowed to escalate attacks in the northern Red Sea after Saudi Arabia diverted its oil tankers there in response to their blockade.

Saudi Arabia's main exit point for oil is now the port of Yanbu on the Red Sea, following Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which had been the kingdom's other maritime route. The narrow Bab al-Mandeb Strait connects the Red Sea to the Indian Ocean and via the Suez Canal, the Mediterranean.

Saudi seaborne crude exports via the Bab al-Mandeb strait surged eightfold between March and mid-July this year compared to the same period in 2025, with nearly 100 million barrels exported in June alone.