Houthis Announce Strikes on Two Saudi Oil Tankers in Red Sea

DOHA, July 23. /TASS/. The Houthis from the Yemeni rebel movement Ansar Allah have announced strikes on two tankers in response to the violation of the maritime blockade against Saudi Arabia.

"Yemeni armed forces conducted an operation striking two Saudi oil tankers that had violated the blockade imposed by the armed forces in the Red Sea. One of the vessels was named ENCELIA and the other LAYLA," according to a Houthi press release.

The movement employed unmanned aerial vehicles, as well as ballistic and cruise missiles, to carry out the strike, according to the report. The Houthis emphasized that they also succeeded in forcing about ten vessels to turn back.

The Saudi agency SPA confirmed the strike on the vessel, noting that all crew members of the Encelia were safe. According to the agency, the strike on the tanker caused a fire in the bow section.

On July 20, the Houthis announced a naval blockade of Saudi Arabia, accusing the kingdom of years of plundering Yemen’s national wealth, referring to the country’s oil resources. On July 21, the Riyadh-led Arab coalition said it had begun taking measures to protect commercial vessels in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. Coalition Spokesman Turki al-Maliki stressed that any threat to shipping would be met decisively and forcefully, describing the rebels’ actions as maritime piracy.