Houthis Escalate Maritime Campaign Against Saudi Arabia

The Houthi rebels have escalated their maritime campaign against Saudi Arabia, claiming responsibility for an attack on another oil tanker in the Red Sea. According to a statement from Yahya Saree, the Houthi military spokesman, the group struck the Saudi tanker Wafa with 'a number of ballistic missiles' off the coast of Yanbu.

The Houthis said this was part of their self-declared maritime blockade against Saudi Arabia, and that it was the eighth Saudi oil tanker targeted since the campaign began in late July. They also claimed that 29 Saudi tankers have been forced to turn back in the Red Sea and Arabian Sea.

The group stated that 'their operations will continue and escalate in targeting Saudi oil tankers in the northern Red Sea' as part of their campaign to close remaining access points after traffic was diverted away from the Bab el-Mandeb.