Houthi Attack Sets Saudi Oil Tanker Ablaze in Red Sea

Bangla Press Desk:  Yemen’s Houthi movement has claimed responsibility for an attack on the Saudi-flagged oil tanker Amzan in the Red Sea off the Saudi port city of Yanbu, escalating its campaign against Saudi interests and raising fresh concerns over regional shipping security.

Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said on Monday that the tanker was targeted with a ballistic missile and drones as part of the group’s declared “siege for siege” campaign against Saudi Arabia. The Houthis said the strike caused a fire on the vessel and that other ships in the area moved away following the attack.Saudi shipping company Bahri subsequently confirmed that its Amzan vessel had been involved in a maritime security incident in the Red Sea. The company said it was in contact with the crew and coordinating with the relevant authorities. All crew members were reported safe, with no injuries.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) also reported that a tanker was struck by an unknown projectile about 63 nautical miles west of Yanbu. The incident reportedly caused a fire on the vessel’s main deck, while all crew members remained safe and no environmental impact was reported.

Houthis claim attacks on Saudi military targets

In a separate statement, Saree claimed that Houthi forces had conducted two operations against Saudi-linked military targets in eastern Yemen.

He said the first operation targeted a large Saudi military convoy carrying weapons and military equipment in the Al-Abr and Al-Wadi’ah areas using ballistic missiles and drones.

The Houthis claimed that more than 10 trucks carrying weapons were destroyed or set on fire.

The second operation allegedly targeted Saudi forces in the Al-Kanais area with ballistic missiles and drones. Saree claimed that dozens of people, including commanders and officers, were killed or wounded and that several weapons depots were destroyed.

These battlefield claims have not been independently verified.

Houthis outline three objectives

The latest attacks follow the Houthis’ announcement last week of three objectives for their campaign against Saudi Arabia.

The first was described as “siege for siege”, referring to restrictions the group says it has imposed on Saudi-linked shipping.

The second involved targeting Saudi troop concentrations, while the third focused on what the group described as protecting Yemen’s sovereignty and confronting foreign incursions.

The Houthis have also claimed that their maritime restrictions have effectively blocked Saudi-linked shipping.

The campaign comes after a series of attacks on Saudi energy infrastructure. The Washington Post reported last month that the Houthis had claimed attacks on Saudi Aramco facilities in Yanbu and Jazan, marking the first such strikes since 2022.

Iran backs Houthi pressure on Saudi Arabia

Iran has increasingly highlighted the Houthis’ ability to put pressure on Saudi Arabia and other US allies in the region.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps spokesman Brig Gen Hossein Mohebbi recently told the semi-official Mehr News Agency that Saudi Arabia would not be able to defeat Ansar Allah, the Houthis’ political and military movement.

His comments came amid heightened regional tensions and the Houthis’ renewed attacks on Saudi-linked targets.

Red Sea shipping faces renewed pressure

The latest tanker attack highlights the strategic importance of the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, one of the world’s key maritime chokepoints.

Reuters reported in July that ship traffic through Bab el-Mandeb fell sharply after Houthi attacks on Saudi oil installations along the Red Sea coast. Kpler data showed that only 11 commodity vessels passed through the strait on one Sunday, the lowest level in months.

Al-Monitor has also reported that Saudi Arabia has redirected a significant portion of its crude exports through the Red Sea terminal at Yanbu as disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz have intensified. According to the publication, Saudi crude exports through Yanbu had risen to around 4.5 million barrels per day, accounting for more than 70% of the kingdom’s crude shipments.

Al-Monitor further reported that around 2.5 million barrels per day of crude leaving Yanbu were passing south through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, leaving a significant portion of Saudi oil exports exposed to potential disruption from Houthi attacks.

The renewed attacks therefore pose risks not only to Saudi Arabia and Yemen but also to international shipping and global energy markets.

Source: oilprice.com