Houthis Attack Saudi Oil Tanker in Red Sea, Citing Blockade Violation

The Houthi military spokesman, Yahya Saree, announced on Tuesday that the Yemeni armed forces had attacked a Saudi oil tanker in the Red Sea.

The tanker, NCC GHAZAL, allegedly violated the blockade imposed by the Houthis last week on Saudi shipments in the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

According to Windward, a maritime intelligence firm, the tanker showed high-risk behavior in the weeks leading up to the strike, including a 7-day AIS blackout off the Yemen coast and multiple ship-to-ship transfers.

The Houthi attack adds to the recent string of strikes in the region, with Iranian forces launching ballistic missiles at U.S. bases across the Middle East on Tuesday.

The incident has raised concerns about tanker traffic in the Red Sea, prompting Saudi Arabia to reroute its crude oil exports through Egypt's Sidi Kerir port.