Yemen's Houthis say attacked two Saudi oil tankers
Yemen's Houthi rebels have claimed responsibility for attacking two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. This escalation is part of a broader maritime blockade that threatens global oil supply routes following the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
Why it matters
The disruption of critical maritime chokepoints like the Bab al-Mandeb Strait poses a significant risk to global energy security and international shipping lanes.
Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis said on Wednesday (August 5, 2026) that they attacked two Saudi oil tankers, as the rebels pressed on with their maritime blockade of the kingdom.
These were the eighth and ninth Saudi oil tankers targeted since the start of the blockade last month, according to figures given by a Houthi military spokesman.
Saudi authorities had no immediate comment on the report.
The group "successfully targeted the Saudi oil tanker Wafa in the northern Red Sea, off the coast of Yanbu, with a number of ballistic missiles," Yahya Saree said, in a video statement.
In a later statement, Mr. Saree said the rebels targeted the "Saudi oil tanker Daisy in the Gulf of Aden with a ballistic missile", referring to the waterway that connects to the Red Sea.
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