Houthis Strike Saudi Oil Tanker Amid Red Sea Blockade Tensions

The Houthi military has claimed an attack on a Saudi oil tanker in the Red Sea, saying it was retaliating against the vessel for violating their maritime blockade. The tanker, NCC GHAZAL, was allegedly targeted with ballistic missiles and forced to retreat.

According to Windward, a maritime intelligence firm, the tanker had shown 'high-risk Red Sea behavior' in the weeks leading up to the attack, including a 7-day AIS blackout off the Yemen coast. The tanker also underwent multiple ship-to-ship transfers and changed its destination repeatedly.

The incident has raised concerns about tanker traffic in the region, as the US-Iran hostilities have somewhat abated in recent days. In response to the Houthi attack, Saudi Arabia is re-routing some of its crude oil exports through Egypt's Sidi Kerir port on the Red Sea.