Houthis attack Saudi tankers, blockade threatens Red Sea oil route

Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi movement announced a maritime blockade of Saudi Arabia on July 20, 2026, in retaliation for Saudi airstrikes on Sanaa International Airport on July 13 and what the group describes as a longstanding Saudi blockade of Houthi-controlled ports and airports. On July 22–23, the Houthis claimed to have attacked two Saudi oil tankers—the Encelia and Layla—using ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and drones, stating the vessels had violated the announced embargo. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) confirmed receiving a report of a tanker struck by an unknown projectile approximately 70 nautical miles southwest of Al Shuqaiq, Saudi Arabia, with a fire reported aboard; all crew members were reported safe. The Houthis claimed the strikes caused fires on both vessels and said they forced approximately ten additional ships to reverse course.

The blockade threat has already disrupted shipping through the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, a narrow 29-kilometer waterway connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden. Ship-tracking data shows at least seven oil tankers made U-turns after the blockade announcement, including vessels from Saudi Arabia's Yanbu port destined for China and India. Saudi Arabia's oil shipments through Bab al-Mandeb fell 36 percent over two weeks, from a peak of 9.5 million barrels per day on June 29 to 6.1 million barrels per day by late July, according to analytics firm Kpler. Approximately 7 million barrels of petroleum transit the strait daily, and roughly 12 percent of global trade passes through it, including about one-quarter of global container traffic.

The escalation occurs as the Strait of Hormuz remains effectively closed by U.S.-Iran conflict that began in late February 2026. Saudi Arabia had redirected approximately 4 million barrels per day through an East-West pipeline to its Red Sea port of Yanbu to offset Hormuz disruptions, making the Red Sea route critical for Asian markets. Alternative routes—shipping through Egypt's Suez Canal or rerouting around the Cape of Good Hope—would add one to two weeks to voyage times and substantially increase freight costs. Oil prices surged more than $20 per barrel during July and briefly exceeded $95 per barrel on Wednesday; analysts warn that a full Bab al-Mandeb closure could push prices above $100 per barrel.

The Houthis justified the blockade as an "eye for an eye" response, accusing Saudi Arabia of imposing "an unjust and oppressive siege" on areas they control for nearly 12 years. Saudi Arabia rejected the allegations and vowed to "take all necessary measures" to protect its ships. The Saudi-led Arab Coalition, which includes Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan, and Senegal, threatened military force if the Houthis attack civilian vessels. U.S. President Donald Trump said the United States would "take care of business" if threats materialized. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio attributed the blockade to Iranian influence, though analysts noted the Houthis imposed restrictions only after Saudi strikes violated a four-year informal ceasefire established in 2022.

International responses included condemnation from Pakistan, the African Union, and regional navies. The EU's naval force Aspides advised merchants linked to Israeli, U.S., or Saudi interests to avoid the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs warned that escalating attacks on critical infrastructure and maritime disruptions deepened humanitarian needs across the Middle East, urging all parties to protect civilians and respect international humanitarian law. UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg expressed alarm that renewed attacks could undermine the 2022 UN-brokered truce and push Yemen back toward broader conflict.