Saudi Airstrikes on Hodeidah: How a Naval Blockade and Tanker Attacks Escalated the Red Sea Crisis

On July 23, the Houthis claimed they struck two Saudi oil tankers — the Encelia and the Layla — transiting the Red Sea . Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said the tankers were targeted for "violating the blockade decision" . Maritime security sources confirmed the Saudi-flagged tanker Encelia was hit by a missile . A separate attack on July 24 damaged the Saudi vessel NCC MASA . These were the first reported attacks on commercial ships in months and marked a dramatic escalation of the Houthi campaign against Saudi maritime interests .

The Naval Blockade That Preceded It All

On July 20, the Houthis declared a "maritime embargo" or naval blockade on Saudi Arabia, taking effect immediately . The group said it was closing the Bab el-Mandeb Strait to all Saudi-linked shipping in retaliation for the Saudi-led coalition's blockade on Yemen and for a Saudi attack on Sanaa International Airport the prior week . The Houthis also sent emails to shipping companies warning them not to load or discharge cargo at Saudi ports or risk being targeted .

The Broader U.S.-Iran War Context

This maritime escalation is inseparable from the ongoing U.S.-Iran conflict. The Houthis are an Iran-aligned group, and their attacks on Saudi tankers came as the U.S. military conducted its 12th consecutive night of airstrikes against Iran . Iran had been asking the Houthis to "stand ready to shut the Red Sea export route" as part of a coordinated strategy to open multiple fronts against U.S. and allied interests . The Houthi Red Sea campaign effectively opened a second major chokepoint — alongside Iran's near-closure of the Strait of Hormuz — threatening to strangle global oil flows from both the Gulf and the Red Sea .

Oil Price Shock: Brent Breaks $100

The cascade of threats drove a sharp oil price surge:

• Brent crude broke above $100 a barrel on July 23 for the first time since late May, rising 6.96% to $100.65 .
• Analysts warned a successful Houthi closure of Bab el-Mandeb could push oil above $115–$120 a barrel .
• The Houthi blockade threat compounded an already tight market where the Strait of Hormuz was partially blocked by U.S.-Iran hostilities, limiting oil flows out of the Gulf .
• Oil had already been rising for 11 consecutive days through July 22 as fears spread from Hormuz to the Red Sea .

Peace Talks in Ruins

The renewed hostilities severely undermined already fragile peace efforts. Diplomatic progress between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis — mediated by Oman and the UN in previous years — was described as showing "dwindling progress" even before the July tanker attacks . The Houthis' July 13 missile attack on Saudi Arabia (in retaliation for a Saudi strike on Sanaa airport) broke years of relative calm along the Saudi-Yemen border . The subsequent blockade declaration, tanker attacks, and Saudi airstrikes effectively torpedoed any near-term prospect for renewed negotiations, as both sides escalated rather than de-escalated .

The Humanitarian Toll on Yemen

Hodeidah port is the primary entry point for humanitarian aid, food, and fuel into Yemen, which was already suffering one of the world's worst humanitarian crises . Any damage to port infrastructure or renewed fighting in the area risked cutting off millions of Yemenis from essential imports. The Saudi-led coalition claimed ports remain open, but the Houthis accused Saudi Arabia of striking civilian telecommunications facilities, warning the attack was a "major folly" .