Yemen's Houthi movement announced that it attacked two Saudi oil tankers near the Bab el-Mandeb strait with missiles and drones. One of the tankers was reported on fire in the Red Sea earlier tonight, according to earlier reports. The Houthis warned that renewed fighting in the strait could force international shipping to reroute around Africa.
The Houthi movement in Yemen claimed responsibility for an attack on two Saudi oil tankers near the Bab el-Mandeb strait, saying it used missiles and drones. The claim, issued at 01:29 Jerusalem, follows a sequence of events earlier tonight: at 22:50 Jerusalem, AIS data showed the Saudi tanker ENCELIA slowing; minutes later, the Houthis announced a forthcoming military statement. By 00:39 Jerusalem, multiple reports confirmed a Saudi oil tanker—identified as the Ansilia, carrying 110,000 metric tons of crude oil—was on fire in the Red Sea after a Houthi attack, as The Zioneer reported. The UK Maritime Trade Operations center also confirmed an attack 70 nautical miles off Al-Shuwaik, Saudi Arabia. The Houthi statement now claims two tankers were struck, with one ablaze, and warns that renewed fighting in the strait could force international shipping to reroute around Africa.
On Wednesday, five oil tankers rerouted in the Red Sea after the Houthis warned vessels against docking at Saudi ports, as The Zioneer reported. The Houthis have previously declared a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia, and the current incident marks a sharp escalation in maritime tensions.
The extent of damage to the two tankers and any casualties remain unconfirmed by independent sources. The identity and status of the second tanker claimed by the Houthis have not been verified, and it is unclear whether it is the same vessel that was reported on fire or a different one.
7 developments
Source and signal
- Internal intake