Houthis attack two Saudi oil tankers in Red Sea, threatening global supply

Yemen's Houthi movement has claimed attacks on two Saudi oil tankers navigating through the Red Sea, escalating an already volatile situation in one of the world's most critical energy corridors. The attacks occurred Wednesday as Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree announced that vessels ENCELA and LAYLIA were targeted for violating the group's recently declared naval blockade on Saudi Arabia.

Missiles, Drones and Fire at Sea

Saree stated the assault was carried out using "a number of ballistic and cruise missiles, as well as drones," causing fires aboard the tankers. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) centre confirmed it received a report that one tanker had been struck by an unknown projectile, with the crew actively fighting fires on board.

The two vessels had just finished loading Saudi crude at the port of Yanbu, bound for Asian markets — one for China, one for India. After the Houthi threat, the tankers reversed course, heading back through the Suez Canal rather than proceeding south through the Bab al-Mandeb Strait. The Houthis also claimed they had forced "nearly ten ships" to abandon their routes entirely.

Blockade Adds New Dimension to Energy Crisis

The Houthis declared a maritime blockade on Saudi Arabia on July 20, framing it as retaliation for what they describe as Saudi Arabia's long-running siege on Yemen. "The ultimate goal for Ansar Allah's naval blockade against the Saudis is to force Riyadh to lift its embargo on the ports and airports controlled by the Houthis," said Hussain al-Bukhaiti, a journalist based in Sanaa.

The timing is especially significant. With the Strait of Hormuz effectively disrupted since the United States and Israel launched their war on Iran in late February, Saudi Arabia has been routing oil shipments through the Red Sea's Bab al-Mandeb as an alternative. But a Houthi blockade there could threaten an estimated 25 percent of the world's oil and gas supply.

Markets React as Oil Tops $91

Global energy markets have already been rattled. Brent crude has climbed above $91 per barrel, and US gasoline prices have returned to over $4 per gallon. Analysts warn that a simultaneous blockade of both the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab al-Mandeb could produce one of the most severe oil supply shocks in modern history.

• Brent crude: above $91/barrel
• US gasoline: above $4/gallon
• ~4.1 billion barrels of oil passed through Bab al-Mandeb in 2024
• Houthis previously forced closure of Israel's Eilat port (2024)

The Houthis resumed attacks on shipping in 2023 during Israel's war on Gaza, then halted under a ceasefire deal brokered by Oman in May 2025. The current escalation marks a dramatic new chapter in the group's military posture.