Houthi Attacks on Saudi Oil Tankers Open New Maritime Front

Yemen’s Houthi rebels launched missile and drone attacks on two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea on July 22, following their declaration of a maritime blockade against the kingdom two days earlier. The strikes on the Encelia and the Layla mark a dramatic escalation in the Middle Eastern conflict, opening a dangerous new maritime front that threatens to choke off critical energy supply routes and send global oil prices spiraling upward.

According to Al Jazeera, Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree announced that the group had targeted both vessels “using a number of ballistic and cruise missiles, as well as drones,” causing fires onboard and forcing them to turn back. The Saudi Press Agency confirmed that the Encelia was struck at its bow, though all crew members were reported safe. Saudi Arabia condemned the attacks as “a violation of international laws and conventions that guarantee the safety of commercial vessels and their crews.”

A Strategic Chokepoint Under Siege

The Bab el-Mandeb Strait, at just 29 kilometers wide at its narrowest point, connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean. Approximately 15 percent of global maritime trade passes through this chokepoint, including oil, gas, and containerized goods. It serves as the southern gateway to the Suez Canal, making it one of the world’s most strategically vital waterways.

As The Guardian reported, the Houthi attacks come amid the ongoing US-Israel war on Iran, which has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz since late February 2026. This has forced Saudi Arabia to shift its oil exports to Red Sea ports as an alternative route to Asian markets. The Houthi blockade now threatens this remaining lifeline, creating a scenario where two of the world’s most critical maritime chokepoints are simultaneously compromised.

Why Now? The Road to Escalation

The current escalation did not emerge in a vacuum. The Houthis, officially known as Ansar Allah, have been locked in a conflict with Saudi Arabia since 2015, when the kingdom formed a military coalition to intervene in Yemen’s civil war. A UN-brokered ceasefire in 2022 has remained fragile, with the Houthis controlling Sanaa and most of northern Yemen.

As VRT NWS detailed in its analysis, the immediate trigger was the July 13 bombing of Sanaa International Airport’s runway, which forced a Houthi delegation returning from former Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s funeral to divert their plane. The Houthis blame Saudi Arabia for the attack, though Riyadh has denied involvement. In retaliation, the Houthis first struck an airport in southwestern Saudi Arabia with rockets, then escalated to the maritime blockade declaration on July 20, followed by the direct attacks on oil tankers.

Hussain al-Bukhaiti, a Sanaa-based journalist, told Al Jazeera that “the ultimate goal for Ansar Allah’s naval blockade against the Saudis is to force Riyadh to lift its embargo on the ports and airports controlled by the Houthis.” The group has been under a Saudi-led blockade for nearly 12 years, and they see maritime disruption as their most powerful bargaining chip.

Oil Markets in Turmoil

The economic implications have been immediate and severe. The National (UAE) reported that Brent crude surged 4.37 percent to hit $98.18 a barrel on July 23, while West Texas Intermediate advanced 3.63 percent to $89.98. This represents a nearly 30 percent increase in July alone, pushing prices rapidly toward the psychologically significant $100 mark.

The combined closure of the Strait of Hormuz and the threat to Bab el-Mandeb could block approximately 25 percent of the world’s oil and gas supply. Analysts at Goldman Sachs have warned that Brent could rally to more than $120 a barrel by the fourth quarter of 2026 if supply disruptions continue. Helima Croft, head of global commodity strategy at RBC Capital Markets, cautioned that prices could potentially exceed the Russia-Ukraine war highs of $128 per barrel seen in 2022, or even the 2008 peak of $146, in a worst-case scenario of full regional war.

Saudi Arabia’s Strategic Dilemma

Saudi Arabia finds itself in an extraordinarily difficult position. With the Strait of Hormuz effectively closed, Red Sea ports have become the kingdom’s primary export route for oil to Asia. A military response against the Houthis risks escalation with Iran-backed forces at a time when the US is already engaged in a broader conflict with Tehran.

Geopolitical analyst Michel Don Michaloliakos of the Haagsch Instituut GeopolitiekNu told VRT NWS that “Saudi Arabia will have to work toward a compromise. They have no other choice. They have little to gain from escalation.” He noted that the kingdom has too much at stake with its oil exports to risk a prolonged maritime confrontation.

However, the analyst also warned that the Houthis may overplay their hand. “They want to drag in so much at this moment that they might overreach,” he said. “That is the biggest risk I see now.”

Regional and Global Reactions

Pakistan has strongly condemned the attacks, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif stating that “such actions are unacceptable, violate international law, threaten freedom of navigation, and undermine regional peace and security.” Oman has offered to mediate between Saudi Arabia, Yemeni parties, and the UN, while the Houthis have signaled that their blockade specifically targets Saudi vessels — though the broader risk to all Red Sea shipping remains significant.

As ABC Australia noted, the Houthis have previously demonstrated their ability to disrupt global commerce during the Gaza war, when they attacked dozens of commercial vessels in the Red Sea from October 2023 until a US-brokered agreement in May 2025. That campaign forced global shipping companies to take massive detours around the Cape of Good Hope, adding 10 to 15 days to voyages and significantly increasing costs.

What to Watch For

The coming days will be critical. Several key questions remain unanswered: Will Saudi Arabia respond militarily or pursue diplomatic channels through Omani mediation? Will the Houthis expand their blockade to non-Saudi vessels, potentially triggering a broader shipping crisis? And how will China, as the world’s largest importer of Saudi oil, respond to the threat to its energy supplies?

For now, the world watches as a new and dangerous front opens in a region already engulfed in conflict. The Houthis have demonstrated that they possess both the capability and the will to strike at Saudi economic interests through maritime warfare. Whether this leads to a negotiated settlement or a wider conflagration may determine the trajectory of global energy markets — and the stability of the Middle East — for years to come.