Houthis Strike Saudi Oil Tanker Amid Escalating Red Sea Tensions
The Yemeni Houthi movement has claimed responsibility for a missile attack on a Saudi oil tanker in the Red Sea, highlighting growing security concerns in one of the world's key energy shipping corridors.
The Houthis said the Saudi-flagged tanker NCC GHAZAL was targeted after allegedly violating their maritime blockade on Saudi shipping through the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. The group's military spokesperson, Yahya Saree, stated that the attack used 'a number of ballistic missiles'.
The tanker reportedly switched off its transponder on July 23 and has not transmitted its location since, according to maritime intelligence firm Windward. The company described the vessel's operating behavior as 'high-risk', citing a seven-day AIS blackout off Yemen's coast, multiple ship-to-ship transfers, and repeated destination changes.
The attack coincided with a broader escalation across the Middle East, including a surprise strike by Iranian forces on American military bases in the region. The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) reported that U.S. and Saudi forces later carried out precision strikes against what it called terrorist logistics and weapons facilities in eastern Iraq.