Red Sea Tensions: Houthis Strike Saudi Oil Tankers

Yemen's Houthis have claimed responsibility for a military operation targeting two Saudi oil tankers, ENCELIA and LAYLA, in the Red Sea. The ENCELIA was reportedly struck by a missile, leading to a fire. The attack comes amidst a new naval blockade by the Houthis on Saudi Arabia, impacting regional maritime traffic.

In a serious escalation of regional tensions, Yemen's Houthis announced on Thursday that they launched a military attack against two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea, sparking new concerns over maritime security in the area.

The two tankers, identified as ENCELIA and LAYLA, were reportedly targeted with ballistic and cruise missiles for violating a naval blockade imposed by the Iran-aligned group on Saudi Arabia. The incident resulted in a distress call from ENCELIA, hit by a projectile causing a fire aboard the vessel near Jizan, Saudi Arabia.

The attack raises the stakes in the geopolitical chess game in the region, with claims of a blockade potentially affecting global energy supplies. According to the Vanguard risk management group and UK maritime reports, regional tanker traffic has been rerouted, signaling widespread disruptions in the wake of these heightened tensions.