Houthis say they targeted two Saudi oil tankers in Red Sea

Yemen’s Houthi group said early on Thursday that it had carried out a military operation targeting two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea.

The group’s military spokesperson, Yahya Saree, said in a statement that Houthi forces targeted two Saudi oil tankers that had violated the group’s shipping ban in the Red Sea. He identified the vessels as Encelia and Layla.

Saree said the attack was carried out using ballistic and cruise missiles, as well as drones. He claimed the strikes were accurate and caused large fires on board both tankers.

He also claimed that the Encelia and Layla had breached the maritime blockade imposed by the Houthis on Saudi Arabia.

Reuters quoted a maritime security source as saying that the Encelia issued a distress call after reporting that it had been hit by a missile while sailing near the outer limits of Saudi Arabia’s Jazan port in the Red Sea. The source said a fire broke out on board.

British maritime risk management company Vanguard said the starboard side of the Encelia was struck by an unidentified projectile about 70 nautical miles south-west of Al Shuqaiq, Saudi Arabia.

The UK Maritime Trade Operation (UKMTO) said it had received a report of an incident in the same area. It said the master of an oil tanker reported that the vessel had been hit by an unidentified projectile, causing a fire that the crew was working to extinguish. UKMTO added that there were no reports of deaths, injuries or environmental damage.

READ: Houthis say ships forced to change course after Saudi shipping ban