Houthi spokesperson Yahya Saree announced on 5/8 that "we attacked the Saudi Arabian oil tanker Wafa in the northern Red Sea, off the city of Yanbu, with a series of ballistic missiles. The strike was precise," though he did not specify damage to the vessel.

Saree stated that Houthi forces have attacked eight Saudi Arabian oil tankers since imposing a naval blockade on the country. A total of 29 Saudi Arabian oil tankers have been intercepted and forced to turn back in the Red Sea and Arabian Sea.

Houthi missiles during a military parade in Sanaa, Yemen in 9/2023. Photo: Reuters

According to the Houthi spokesperson, Saudi Arabia diverted oil tankers to the northern Red Sea to avoid blockade measures at the Bab al-Mandab strait. The Yemeni armed group will therefore expand its attacks to this area, aiming to "block all passages and prevent their movement, establishing a 'blockade for a blockade' strategy."

Saudi Arabian officials have not commented on the information.

A Saudi Arabian-led coalition intervened in Yemen's civil war in 2015 to counter the Houthi. Most major clashes ceased after a ceasefire was achieved in 2022.

However, this agreement collapsed after Houthi attacked an airport in Saudi Arabia on 13/7, retaliating for an attack on the airport in the capital Sanaa. The maritime embargo is a response to Saudi Arabia's blockade campaign against Yemen, an accusation Riyadh has denied.

Area controlled by Houthi forces in Yemen. Graphic: Open Street Map

Congestion in the Strait of Hormuz has compelled Saudi Arabia to transport millions of barrels of oil daily via pipelines to the port of Yanbu in the west, located on the Red Sea coast, for export.

The Suez Canal in the northern Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab strait in the south are important routes for Saudi Arabian oil tankers. While the number of Saudi Arabian oil tankers passing through Bab al-Mandab has sharply decreased, many vessels still travel through the Suez Canal.

The situation could escalate if Houthi transforms this route into a dangerous area, creating significant energy pressure for Western nations and many global regions. Houthi could also target Saudi Arabian oil transit stations, neutralizing export operations.

Nguyen Tien (According to AFP, AP, Reuters, Al Masirah)