SAUDI ARABIA July 22, 2026 – An oil tanker was struck by a projectile in the Red Sea late on Wednesday, July 22, 2026, sparking a fire onboard near the Saudi coast, according to maritime authorities, while Yemen’s Houthi movement claimed responsibility for coordinated strikes on two Saudi oil tankers.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported receiving an alert at approximately 2000 UTC from the master of a tanker located about 70 nautical miles southwest of Al Shuqaiq, Saudi Arabia. The vessel was hit by an unidentified projectile, causing a fire that the crew was actively fighting. UKMTO stated there were no reported casualties and no environmental impact at the time of the advisory. The agency did not name the tanker or attribute the attack.
Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis announced that their forces had carried out a “qualitative military operation” targeting the Saudi-flagged oil tankers Encelia and Layla using ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and drones. Military spokesman Yahya Saree said the vessels had violated a naval blockade the group declared against Saudi-linked shipping two days earlier. The Houthis claimed both ships were accurately hit and suffered major fires, and that their forces had forced around 10 other vessels to turn back. Independent confirmation of damage to Layla remained unverified, while maritime security sources indicated Encelia had been struck and caught fire.
The incident follows the Houthis’ July 20 announcement of a ban on ships loading or discharging cargo at Saudi ports, framed as a response to broader regional tensions. Shipping data had already shown multiple tankers carrying Saudi crude making U-turns in the Red Sea and heading toward the Suez Canal rather than risking the southern approaches near Yemen.
The attacks mark a significant escalation in the Red Sea, a critical energy corridor, and appear to end a fragile period of relative de-escalation between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia that had held since 2022. Concurrent ground clashes were also reported in Yemen’s Al-Dhalea Governorate. Global shipping operators are monitoring the situation closely amid risks of further disruptions to oil flows and potential upward pressure on energy prices. No immediate Saudi or international military response has been detailed.
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