Houthi Militants Claim Attacks on Saudi Oil Tankers, Threatening New Red Sea Chokepoint

Iran-aligned Houthi militants claimed on Thursday to have conducted military strikes on two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea. The attacks represent a significant escalation in maritime hostilities and threaten to open a second major chokepoint for global energy supplies, complementing Iran's ongoing efforts to control the Strait of Hormuz.

Details of the Attacks

The Yemen-based militants, who have stated their intent to impose a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia, identified the targeted vessels as the *Encelia* and the *Layla*. The claims were partially corroborated by independent sources.

• A maritime security source confirmed the Encelia transmitted a distress call late Wednesday, reporting it had been struck by a missile near the Saudi port of Jizan.
• British maritime risk firm Vanguard also reported the Saudi-flagged tanker was hit by an unknown projectile approximately 70 nautical miles southwest of Al Shuqaiq, Saudi Arabia.
• The alleged attack on the second tanker, the *Layla*, remained unconfirmed.

Strategic Implications for Oil Markets

The attacks target the critical Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a key maritime passage at the southern end of the Red Sea. This development directly threatens Saudi Arabia's primary alternative route for oil exports, which was being used to bypass the increasingly volatile Strait of Hormuz.

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Saudi Arabia has been routing millions of barrels of crude per day to its Red Sea port of Yanbu. If the Bab el-Mandeb becomes impassable, tankers would be forced to take the much longer and costlier route north through the Suez Canal. According to reports, the threat has already disrupted shipping, with at least five tankers changing course in the Red Sea on Wednesday and three Saudi-owned tankers making U-turns a day earlier.

Broader Geopolitical Context

These events unfold amid a wider military conflict between the United States and Iran. The U.S. military confirmed on Wednesday it had launched a 12th consecutive night of strikes on targets in Iran at the direction of President Donald Trump.

Tehran has responded with its own threats, with its military command warning it would target regional energy and economic infrastructure if U.S. attacks continue. Iran's Revolutionary Guards separately reported an explosion near the Strait of Hormuz and declared the waterway was under their control and "completely closed," a claim that escalates the risk of a severe global energy supply disruption.