Yemen’s Houthis claim attack on Saudi oil tanker in Red Sea
Yemen's Houthi rebels claimed responsibility for a ballistic missile attack on a Saudi oil tanker in the Red Sea, causing a fire on the vessel. This incident is part of an ongoing maritime blockade declared by the Houthis against Saudi Arabia amid broader regional conflict.
Why it matters
Attacks on oil tankers in the Red Sea pose significant risks to global energy supply chains and regional maritime security.
Yemen's Houthis said on Monday (August 24, 2026) that their forces hit a Saudi oil tanker in the Red Sea with a ballistic missile, as the Iran -backed rebels pursue a maritime blockade of the kingdom.
"The strike was accurate and direct, resulting in a fire breaking out aboard the vessel and causing a number of other ships that were present in the target area to flee," the Houthis said in a statement.
"This targeting comes as part of the implementation of the Armed Forces' decision to ban maritime navigation by the Saudi enemy."
Yemen, embroiled in more than a decade of civil conflict, in July became the latest country to be dragged into the West Asia war as the Houthis upended a 2022 truce with the country's Saudi-backed government.
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