Houthis warn Aramco oil facilities could be targeted if blockade is not lifted

• The Houthis claimed they attacked two commercial vessels with a drone and a cruise missile near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
• The group warned it could expand attacks to Saudi oil tankers and Aramco facilities if the blockade on Yemen continues.

Yemen's Houthi movement claimed Thursday it attacked two commercial vessels near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, saying one was struck by a drone and the other by a cruise missile as it threatened to widen its campaign against Saudi-linked shipping.

According to a Houthi statement, one vessel was hit on its top deck, causing a fire. British maritime authorities also confirmed that a ship was struck and caught fire on its upper deck, although the damage was less severe than a hull strike, which is more likely to sink a vessel.

The Houthis claimed both ships were successfully hit.

However, British maritime organizations said the second tanker was not struck and instead reversed course, redirecting toward the Suez Canal.

The targeted vessels were reportedly bound for India and China.

The attacks have disrupted traffic through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, with at least 10 vessels reportedly abandoning the route and diverting toward the Suez Canal before continuing around the Cape of Good Hope, significantly extending their voyages.

The Houthis described their campaign as "a blockade for a blockade," saying it is intended to pressure Saudi Arabia to lift what they describe as its blockade on Yemen.

The group warned it could escalate operations by targeting Saudi oil tankers and commercial vessels even if they avoid the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, raising the possibility that ships rerouted through the Suez Canal could also face attacks.

Houthi sources further warned that Saudi Aramco oil facilities could become future targets if the blockade on Yemen is not lifted.