Houthi Forces Claim Attack on Two Saudi Oil Tankers in Naval Blockade
The Houthi movement in Yemen announced on July 23 that they had struck two Saudi oil tankers as part of an expanding naval blockade on Saudi Arabia. The group threatened to create a permanent chokepoint at the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, mirroring the near-closure of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran. France and the United States condemned the attacks as an 'irresponsible escalation' that threatens global energy supplies. Saudi maritime authorities have not yet confirmed the extent of the damage.