The Houthis announce the targeting of two Saudi oil tankers, and Iran says that the Strait of Hormuz is “completely closed.” The Houthis in Yemen announced, on Thursday, that they had targeted two Saudi oil tankers with missiles and drones in the Red Sea, as part of the maritime embargo they said they were imposing on Saudi Arabia, while the Iranian Revolutionary Guard confirmed that the Strait of Hormuz is “completely closed” and that the transit of tankers requires coordination with Tehran.
On Monday, the Houthis announced the imposition of a maritime embargo on Saudi Arabia, and shipping traffic showed that five tankers changed their course in the Red Sea to avoid the Bab al-Mandab Strait on Wednesday, while three tankers loaded with Saudi oil and headed to China and India turned back on Tuesday.
Details
In the Strait of Hormuz, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard said that one of three oil tankers caught fire following an explosion while trying to pass through a path that it described as planted with mines south of the strait, while the other two tankers retreated.
The Revolutionary Guard confirmed that the strait is under its control and is “completely closed” as long as American operations continue in the region, warning that no tanker will be allowed to enter or leave the strait without coordination with Iran.
Millions of barrels of Saudi oil are heading daily to the port of Yanbu on the Red Sea to avoid the Strait of Hormuz. If shipments cannot pass through Bab al-Mandab, they will have no choice but to head north through the Suez Canal, which will prolong the journey and increase its cost.
Strait of Hormuz: Are alternative routes sufficient to export Gulf oil and gas?
Statements
“The transit of tankers requires coordination with Tehran. The Houthis identified the two tankers by their names.
A source in maritime security said,
Iranian military source: The Strait of Hormuz is still closed and Centcom’s claims about controlling it are baseless
Revolutionary Guard: An oil tanker was exposed to an explosion after 3 tankers attempted to cross a mine path south of the Strait of Hormuz.
How does the Houthi blockade threaten the oil market? (CNN) - The Iranian-backed Yemeni Houthi group claimed that it targeted two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea early Thursday morning (local time).
On Wednesday, the Houthi group announced the implementation of what it described as a "specific military operation" targeting two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea, which it said were named ENCELIA and LAYLA.
The Houthis announce the targeting of two Saudi oil ships.
The Houthis in Yemen announced, on Thursday, that they had targeted two Saudi oil tankers with missiles and drones in the Red Sea, as part of the maritime embargo that they said they were imposing on Saudi Arabia, while the Iranian Revolutionary Guard confirmed that the Strait of Hormuz is “completely closed” and that the transit of tankers requires coordination with Tehran.
