Houthi forces strike two Saudi oil tankers days after declaring naval blockade
Yemen's Houthis claimed a missile and drone attack on two Saudi oil tankers, Encelia and Layla, days after declaring a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia. Al Jazeera and Reuters report nearly ten ships have already abandoned their routes through the area.
Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis claimed an attack on two Saudi oil tankers, Encelia and Layla, using ballistic and cruise missiles as well as drones, causing fires onboard. The attack came three days after the Houthis declared a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia on July 20. Nearly ten ships have already abandoned their routes through the area, according to Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree. The Bab al-Mandeb strait, a key alternate route for Saudi oil exports, now sits alongside the Strait of Hormuz, effectively closed since the US-Israel war on Iran began in late February. Analysts note that if both chokepoints close, it could block roughly a quarter of the world's oil and gas supply. Source: Al Jazeera, Reuters, Saudi Press Agency.