Yemen’s Houthi rebels have escalated their conflict with Saudi Arabia, claiming missile and drone strikes on two Saudi oil tankers — the Encelia and the Layla — in the Red Sea. Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said the vessels were targeted for violating a naval blockade the group had declared against Saudi Arabia days earlier, on July 20, 2026.
The Saudi Press Agency confirmed the Encelia was hit, though all crew members were reported safe. The UK Maritime Trade Operations centre said it received reports of a tanker struck by an unknown projectile, sparking an onboard fire that the crew was working to extinguish.
The Houthis framed the blockade as retaliation for Saudi Arabia’s own naval siege on Yemeni ports and recent airstrikes, including one on Sanaa International Airport — calling it “an eye for an eye.” According to the Institute for the Study of War, at least seven vessels have already changed course to avoid the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, a critical chokepoint linking the Red Sea to global shipping lanes.
The escalation comes against the backdrop of the broader US-Iran conflict, with US Central Command confirming a 12th consecutive night of American strikes on Iranian targets. President Trump warned that the US will hold Iran directly responsible for any future Houthi attacks, signaling the Red Sea crisis is becoming entangled with the wider regional war.
Markets have reacted sharply: Brent crude has surged past $95 a barrel as shipping companies reroute away from the strait, raising fears of a broader energy shock. Analysts note that sustaining a long-term blockade is operationally far harder than opportunistic strikes — meaning the coming days will test whether this is a lasting embargo or a dramatic but short-lived escalation.
Sources:
· Al Jazeera — https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/7/22/yemens-houthis-claim-attack-on-two-saudi-oil-tankers
· CNBC — https://www.cnbc.com/2026/07/23/iran-war-us-trump-houthis-red-sea-oil.html · 10 Things News — https://www.10things.news/p/10-things-global-news-23rd-july-2026
