Yemen's Houthi movement has restarted direct attacks on commercial ships, taking credit for strikes on two Saudi oil tankers soon after the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported a tanker was hit southwest of Saudi Arabia.
In a statement released on Wednesday, the Yemeni Armed Forces mentioned that the Houthis targeted the tankers Encelia and Layla due to their alleged violation of a recently announced maritime blockade against Saudi Arabia.
The group indicated that the operation included ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and drones, claiming that both ships caught fire as a result.
"The Yemeni Armed Forces conducted a significant military operation targeting two Saudi oil tankers that breached the blockade imposed by the Armed Forces in the Red Sea," the statement said. "The operation involved several ballistic and cruise missiles, as well as drones, leading to large fires on both vessels."
This announcement came after UKMTO published Incident Report 095-26, which stated that the captain of a tanker reported being struck by an unknown projectile around 70 nautical miles southwest of Al Shuqaiq, Saudi Arabia.
According to UKMTO, the strike resulted in a fire on board that the crew was actively trying to manage.
"No casualties or environmental impact have been reported," UKMTO noted, adding that authorities are investigating the incident and advising vessels to navigate the area carefully while reporting any suspicious activity.
UKMTO WARNING 095-26
— UKMTO Operations Centre (@UK_MTO) July 22, 2026
Click here to view the full report ??https://t.co/x8HDIFOC10#MaritimeSecurity #MarSec pic.twitter.com/DKXZOYVA4g
Earlier on Wednesday, President Trump threatened to destroy Iranian bridges and power plants in response to any attacks by Tehran on ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
The Houthis confirmed one of the targeted vessels as Encelia, which aligns with the details provided in the UKMTO report. The status of the second vessel, Layla, has not yet been independently verified.
These strikes represent a sharp increase in tensions following the Houthi announcement earlier this week about imposing a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia. They warned that ships associated with the kingdom could be targeted due to what they describe as Saudi support for U.S. military actions and the ongoing blockade of Yemen.
The Houthis also claimed to have forced "approximately ten ships to retreat and return" and promised to keep attacking Saudi-related shipping as part of a "siege for a siege" strategy.
Records from Equasis show that Encelia (IMO 9240172) is a Saudi-flagged oil products tanker, weighing 109,250 DWT and built in 2003. It is managed commercially by Bihar International Co. based in Jeddah, with ISM management from Dubai's Red Sea Marine Services LLC. Ownership is registered in Liberia with Trans Mediterranean Shipping.
Equasis also lists Layla (IMO 9336098) as a Saudi-flagged crude oil tanker, weighing 317,821 DWT and built in 2007. The VLCC is owned by the National Shipping Company of Saudi Arabia (Bahri) and is managed both commercially and technically by Bahri Ship Management DMCC in Dubai.
These records confirm the Houthis' identification of both vessels as Saudi tankers, aligning with their newly declared maritime blockade on Saudi shipping.
If verified, these strikes would mark the first reported attacks on Saudi-linked tankers since the Houthis expanded their operations beyond Israeli and U.S. ships, raising serious concerns over security in the Red Sea and potential impacts on global energy trade.
The latest attacks occur amid heightened tensions in the Middle East, especially after the breakdown of the U.S.-Iran ceasefire, which led to renewed attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. The Houthis' focus on Saudi shipping adds a new dimension to the conflict, increasing the chances of simultaneous disruptions in the region's key energy transit routes .
On Wednesday, U.S. Central Command confirmed ongoing military strikes on Iranian targets due to attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. They stated, "At 5:30 p.m. ET today, U.S. forces began launching further strikes against Iranian military targets at the direction of the Commander in Chief. The mission will continue to diminish Iran's ability to endanger civilian mariners and commercial vessels in the region."