Yemen Monitor / Newsroom:
The Houthi group’s military spokesperson said on Wednesday that the group had targeted two oil tankers which he identified as Saudi vessels, named “ENCELA” and “LAYLIA,” using ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and drones, claiming the attacks caused major fires to break out aboard both ships.
In a statement, the spokesperson also claimed that the group had forced “around ten vessels” to alter their course. He said the Houthis would continue their maritime operations against what he described as the “Saudi enemy” and would persist in enforcing what they called the “blockade for blockade” strategy.
In a related development, the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said it had received a report of a maritime incident approximately 70 nautical miles off the Saudi Red Sea coastal town of Al-Shaqiq.
According to the UKMTO, the master of a tanker reported that the vessel had been struck by an unidentified projectile, resulting in a fire on board. The agency said investigations were ongoing but did not identify the vessel or attribute responsibility for the attack.
There was no immediate comment from the Saudi authorities regarding the Houthis’ claims.
On Monday, the Houthi military spokesperson announced in a televised statement the imposition of a “maritime navigation ban” on Saudi Arabia, saying it was a response to what the group described as a Saudi blockade. He stated that the measure took effect immediately upon its announcement.
Saudi Arabia responded by affirming that it would take “all necessary measures to protect its vessels” in accordance with international law and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
The Saudi-led Coalition to Support Legitimacy in Yemen also vowed to respond “with firmness and strength” to Houthi threats against vessels transiting the Bab al-Mandab Strait, announcing the implementation of measures to protect ships under its protection.
