Yemen's Houthi armed group announced on 28/7 that it launched ballistic missiles at a Saudi oil tanker in the Red Sea, forcing the vessel to turn around. Houthi spokesperson Yahya Saree stated the military operation targeted the Ghazal oil tanker after it "violated the naval blockade and ignored warnings." Saree added that the group would continue its naval blockade against Saudi Arabia as part of a "comprehensive, gradual siege and escalation" operation, but did not specify if the Ghazal sustained damage.
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The oil tanker Ghazal in an image released 4/2024. Photo: MarineTraffic |
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported that the crew of a vessel in the Red Sea notified them of an explosion. No one was injured, and there was no environmental damage. Maritime tracking company Kpler's MarineTraffic website indicated the Ghazal's last known position was Yanbu port, a Red Sea terminus on Saudi Arabia's east-west oil pipeline.
This incident follows a Houthi unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) attack the previous day, which targeted important facilities along the crude oil pipeline from eastern Saudi Arabia to Yanbu port. Saudi Arabia has not commented on the oil tanker attack, but stated it intercepted several UAVs targeting oil and gas facilities in the country's east. Riyadh accused Iran-backed militias in Iraq of being behind these incidents.
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Area controlled by Houthi forces in Yemen. Graphic: Open Street Map |
A Saudi Arabia-led coalition intervened in Yemen's civil war in 2015 to counter Houthi. While most major clashes ceased after a 2022 ceasefire agreement, this pact appears to have broken down. Houthi attacked an airport in Saudi Arabia on 13/7, claiming it was in retaliation for an attack on Sanaa airport. The current naval embargo is a response to Saudi Arabia's blockade campaign against Yemen, an accusation Riyadh has denied.
The Houthi blockade risks threatening oil supply capabilities and could cut off Saudi Arabia's only sea route. This occurs as Iran blocks the Strait of Hormuz following renewed conflict in the Middle East.
Nguyen Tien (According to AFP, AP, Reuters, Al-Masirah)
