Yemen's Houthi rebels struck the Saudi oil tanker Amzan off Yanbu in the Red Sea with a ballistic missile and drone attack on Monday, part of a declared "siege for siege" campaign against Saudi shipping. Saudi Arabia confirmed the strike as the Houthis also claimed fresh attacks on Saudi military convoys and reiterated a naval blockade threat against the kingdom.
Houthis strike Saudi tanker off Yanbu
Yemen's Houthis targeted the Saudi oil tanker Amzan in the Red Sea off Yanbu with a ballistic missile and drones on Monday, the Iran-aligned group announced. Saudi Arabia confirmed the attack soon after, with shipping company Bahri stating its Amzan vessel was involved in a hostile incident in regional waters.
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said the strike was carried out with ballistic missiles and drones as part of the group's "siege for siege" operation targeting the Saudis.
Convoy strikes and a widening campaign
The Houthis also claimed fresh attacks on Saudi military convoys carrying equipment to Yemeni government forces. In the Al-Abr and Al-Wadi'ah areas, they said their forces destroyed more than ten trucks loaded with weapons. A separate strike on Saudi forces in the Al-Kanais area killed and injured dozens, including commanders and officers, and destroyed several weapons depots, according to the group.
Last week, the Houthis laid out three objectives against the Saudis: naval restrictions on Saudi shipping under the "siege for siege" banner, striking Saudi troop buildups wherever found, and protecting Yemen's sovereignty against incursions. Ansarallah has said its naval measures imposed a tight blockade on Saudi interests. Aramco facilities have been targeted at least four times since the Saudi-Houthi conflict reignited.
Iran backs its ally's leverage
An Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps spokesman told Iran's Mehr News Agency this week that Saudi Arabia cannot defeat the Houthis, arguing the kingdom's military capacity trails Israel's. "This is not possible," he said.
The Houthis retain leverage from their position near key oil transit chokepoints. Traffic through the Bab al-Mandeb Strait may be rebounding despite the blockade, with around 50 ships typically crossing before the recent escalation, though Saudi Arabia has been rerouting oil exports through the Red Sea in response to disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz.
Source: Oilprice.com
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