Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi forces claimed on Wednesday that they launched missile attacks against two Saudi oil tankers, targeting one vessel off the coast of the Red Sea port city of Reuters and another in the Gulf of Aden. Saudi Arabian authorities have not confirmed either incident.
Targeting the Wafaa Tanker
Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree stated on X that the group struck the Saudi oil tanker Wafaa in the northern Red Sea using several ballistic missiles. Saree asserted that the missiles hit the vessel accurately
. While the group claimed the strike occurred Wednesday, Saree did not specify the exact time of the attack.
The strike off Yanbu is significant as the city serves as a key port for Saudi crude oil exports. According to reports, Yanbu has gained outsized importance after disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz earlier this year pushed Saudi Arabia to shift the majority of its crude exports to the port at the end of Aramco’s East-West Pipeline.
“Blockade for Blockade” Strategy
Saree described the attacks as part of a blockade for blockade
strategy. The Houthis have imposed a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea since July 22 in response to what they describe as a Saudi siege on Yemen, an allegation Riyadh has denied.
According to the Houthi spokesperson, the strike on the Wafaa brings the total number of Saudi oil tankers targeted since the blockade began to eight. The group first claimed to hit two vessels, the Layla and the Encelia, on July 22. While Saudi Arabia’s state press agency reported a fire on the Encelia’s bow, no independent maritime tracker or UKMTO advisory had corroborated the claim regarding the Wafaa by publication.
Saree further claimed that 29 Saudi oil tankers have either been forced to turn back or prevented from passing through the Arabian Sea and the Red Sea. He alleged that Saudi Arabia redirected its tankers to the northern Red Sea after the Houthis succeeded in imposing a blockade from the Bab al-Mandab Strait. Saree vowed to intensify attacks in the northern Red Sea to block maritime access regardless of the consequences
.
Impact on Global Oil Markets
The claims of attacks on Saudi shipping contributed to a rise in oil prices on Wednesday. Brent crude futures increased by 74 cents, or 0.93 percent, reaching US$80.10 a barrel by 1303 GMT. US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) futures gained 16 cents, or 0.21 percent, to US$75.93.
UBS analyst Giovanni Staunovo noted that the attack off the coast of Yanbu drove prices higher. The news also tempered investor optimism regarding a de-escalation of hostilities in the Iran war, which had previously driven prices down by 5 percent following reports from Qatar that mediators were making progress.
Summary of Houthi Maritime Claims (Since July 22)
| Category | Houthi Claimed Figure |
|---|---|
| Saudi oil tankers targeted | 8 |
| Vessels prevented from passing or turned back | 29 |
Broader Regional Context
The maritime tensions occur amid a wider conflict involving the US, Israel, and Iran. Market analysts from IG noted that a primary sticking point in the region is whether the US will refuse Iranian insistence on a degree of control over the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway through which approximately 20 percent of the world’s liquefied natural gas and oil passed before the war began.
Simultaneously, reports have emerged regarding potential diplomatic movements. While Tehran denied that peace talks were underway, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent indicated a possibility of a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Other reports suggested the US, Iran, and Oman were nearing a deal that would establish a 60-day interim period with outbound traffic utilizing a US-backed southern lane.
