Houthis claim missile strike on Saudi tanker NCC GHAZAL in Red Sea

Published Jul 29, 10:30 AM UTC

Yemen's Houthis claimed a missile attack on the Saudi-flagged oil tanker NCC GHAZAL in the Red Sea late Tuesday, stating the vessel violated a blockade on Saudi shipments announced last week. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said the tanker ignored warning calls and was targeted with ballistic missiles, forcing it to retreat. Maritime intelligence firm Windward reported the tanker had engaged in suspicious behavior, including a 7-day AIS blackout and multiple ship-to-ship transfers, and went dark again on July 23. The attack coincides with heightened regional tensions, as U.S. Central Command reported Iranian ballistic missile strikes on U.S. bases and subsequent U.S.-Saudi precision strikes on logistics sites in Iraq. In response to the Houthi threat, Saudi Arabia is rerouting crude exports via Egypt's Sidi Kerir port using the SUMED pipeline, with multiple empty supertankers en route to pick up Saudi crude, avoiding the Bab el-Mandeb chokepoint.