Houthis claim missile strike on Saudi oil tanker near Yanbu

Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels claimed a ballistic missile strike on a Saudi oil tanker off the port of Yanbu on Monday, the latest escalation in their campaign to disrupt Red Sea shipping and pressure Saudi Arabia. The attack, which caused a fire on the vessel's main deck, underscores the risk of Yemen sliding back into full-scale conflict and threatens a key route for global oil exports Source: Al Jazeera, DW.

The attack

The Houthis said they targeted the "Amzan," a vessel belonging to Saudi shipping company Bahri, with a ballistic missile off Yanbu, Saudi Arabia's main Red Sea oil export hub. Bahri confirmed the incident, stating all crew were safe and no injuries were reported Source: Al Jazeera. The UK Maritime Trade Operations agency reported that a tanker was struck by an "unknown projectile" about 63 nautical miles west of Yanbu, causing a fire but no environmental impact Source: Euronews. Saudi officials have not yet commented Source: Al Jazeera.

Broader context

The strike is part of the Houthis' declared blockade on Saudi-linked vessels in the Red Sea, aimed at limiting Saudi energy exports amid the US-Iran war. The Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which carries about 12% of global maritime trade, has been disrupted Source: Euronews. Analysts say the Houthis are also using the regional conflict to extract concessions from Saudi Arabia and distract from domestic failures Source: DW.

Disagreement and outlook

While the Houthis claim the strike was "accurate and direct," the UK agency described the projectile as "unknown," and Saudi authorities have not confirmed the Houthi account Source: Al Jazeera, Euronews. The attack threatens to reignite Yemen's civil war, which had seen relative calm since a 2022 truce, and could further destabilize the region Source: DW.