Yemeni Forces Report Missile Attack on Saudi Oil Tanker Near Red Sea

Yemeni forces have announced that a Saudi oil tanker named “Wafa” was targeted in a missile strike off the coast of Yanbu in the northern Red Sea. Yahya Sari’, spokesman for the Yemeni Armed Forces, stated that the tanker was hit by several ballistic missiles and that the operations in the northern Red Sea will continue. Sari’ claimed that Saudi Arabia attempted to reroute its oil tankers toward the northern Red Sea, but Yemeni forces struck the ship in that same area. The spokesman added that since the beginning of what Yemen calls Saudi Arabia’s “maritime blockade” on July 22, eight Saudi oil tankers have been targeted. He further alleged that Yemeni forces have prevented the movement of 29 Saudi oil tankers, forcing them to return to the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea. According to Yemeni officials, this maritime blockade is a response to the blockade imposed on Yemen by Saudi Arabia.