Houthis hit 2 Saudi tankers in Red Sea

NEW FRONT | Conflict widens as rebels threaten global oil shipping route; US pounds Iran for 12th straight night

We targeted two Saudi oil tankers, named Encelia and Layla, for their violation of the blockade decision issued by the armed forces.

Yahya Saree Houthi military spokesperson 

Cairo: Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels said on Thursday they attacked two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea, opening a potential new front as the US carried out its 12th consecutive night of strikes on Iran.

The Houthis said they struck the Encelia and the Layla, setting both vessels ablaze. There were no reports of casualties. Saudi Arabia confirmed an overnight attack on the Encelia but did not mention the Layla.

The strikes came days after the Houthis announced a blockade of Saudi-linked shipping through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait in retaliation for Riyadh’s blockade of Yemen and a recent attack on Sanaa airport. The UK Maritime Trade Operations said a tanker was hit by an “unknown projectile” southwest of Saudi Arabia’s Al Shuqaiq port.

HOUTHI ATTACKS ARE A DOUBLE WHAMMY FOR OIL SHIPMENTS

The attacks threaten oil exports from Saudi Arabia’s Yanbu port on the Red Sea, adding to disruption caused by Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

Saudi Arabia has diverted millions of barrels of oil daily to Yanbu via an overland pipeline as Gulf shipping faces growing risks. Maritime intelligence firm Lloyd’s List warned the Houthi attacks raise fresh doubts over the route’s viability.

Meanwhile, Iran and the US continued to escalate the conflict. US Central Command said overnight strikes targeted Iran’s ability to threaten commercial shipping. Iranian media reported missile strikes near Ahvaz, Ramshir and Andimeshk, and said two people were killed near the Iraqi border.

Jordan said it intercepted three missiles early on Thurs­day, Bahrain sounded air raid sirens, and Kuwait reported a drone attack on its border with Iraq that caused damage but no casualties. 

Iran stops three oil tankers 

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said on Thursday it stopped three oil tankers from passing through the Strait of Hormuz, with one vessel catching fire after an explosion. The IRGC said the tankers attempted to use a mine-laid route south of the strait. After one vessel exploded and caught fire, the other two turned back. It warned any ship attempting to pass through the strait without Iran’s consent would face the same fate.

Gulf States Race To Bypass Strait

Frankfurt: Gulf oil producers are accelerating multi-billion-dollar pipeline projects to reduce dependence on the Strait of Hormuz as Iran’s blockade disrupts global energy supplies. Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Iraq are expanding or planning alternative export routes to the Red Sea, Gulf of Oman and the Mediterranean, with at least seven projects under way or discussion. Analysts estimate the new pipelines could divert up to 7.3 million barrels of oil a day by the end of 2028, shielding about 60% of the Gulf’s prewar oil exports from disruptions in Hormuz. However, alternative routes remain vulnerable to Houthi and other regional attacks. —AP