Yemen's Houthis fired ballistic missiles at a Saudi oil tanker in the Red Sea, escalating a naval blockade declared on July 20. Military spokesperson Yahya Saree stated the vessel breached the blockade and ignored warning calls, forcing it to change course. The Houthis said the blockade is a response to a Saudi siege on Yemen, an allegation Riyadh has denied.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency reported that a tanker master heard an explosion while transiting the southern Red Sea, though the crew and vessel remained safe with no reported environmental damage. This escalation in the Red Sea coincides with actions by the Houthis' ally, Iran, which is bottling up the Strait of Hormuz.
The conflict has expanded as the Saudi-led coalition carried out strikes on Houthi military sites in the Hodeidah governorate on Friday, claiming the sites were used to threaten commercial shipping. On Saturday, the Houthis fired on Saudi oil installations in two Red Sea ports, which prompted further bombing by Saudi-backed forces.
In Riyadh, Yemen's internationally recognised government warned that global complacency has emboldened the Houthis as they target several tankers to enforce the maritime blockade.