Yemen's Houthi militia claimed responsibility Tuesday for a military operation targeting the Saudi oil tanker NCC Ghazal in the Red Sea, according to Yahya Saree, the group's military spokesman. The Iran-aligned organization asserted that the vessel violated a maritime navigation ban it had imposed on Saudi shipments and ignored warning communications before the attack, which Saree said involved the use of ballistic missiles.
The Houthi blockade declaration, announced last week, extends across the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a critical chokepoint for global shipping. The attack represents an escalation in the group's campaign against Saudi maritime commerce and signals potential broader disruptions to international trade routes in one of the world's most strategically important waterways.
The incident underscores mounting tensions in the region and raises concerns among energy markets and shipping operators about the security of vessels transiting the Red Sea. The development comes amid broader geopolitical complications affecting oil transportation and global energy supply chains.