Conflict & Security
Houthis say Saudi tanker NCC Ghazal targeted in Red Sea
Yemen's Houthi rebels said Tuesday they targeted the Saudi oil tanker NCC Ghazal in the Red Sea with ballistic missiles, alleging it had violated a blockade on Saudi ports announced by the Iran-backed group.
A Houthi military spokesman said the Saudi vessel was targeted after it ignored warnings. He identified the ship as the NCC Ghazal and said it had been forced to turn back.
Saudi Arabia had not commented on the Houthi claim about the tanker at the time of the report. Separately, Saudi defence ministry spokesman Turki al-Maliki said late Tuesday that air defences had intercepted and destroyed several drones that attempted to target oil installations in the country's east.
Al-Maliki said the drone attacks were launched from Iraqi territory and carried out by militias linked to Iran. It was the second day in a row that Riyadh blamed Iran-backed groups in Iraq for launching attacks. The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella network of Iran-backed Shia militias, rejected Saudi accusations on Monday, calling them fabrications.
MarineTraffic, owned by maritime tracking firm Kpler, listed the Ghazal as a Saudi-flagged tanker whose last known location was the port of Yanbu, the terminus of an important oil pipeline on Saudi Arabia's Red Sea coast.
Last week, the Houthis declared a maritime blockade of Saudi Arabia and have since claimed attacks targeting Saudi tankers and oil infrastructure. The blockade has threatened Saudi Arabia's ability to get supplies to world markets after Iran's parallel blockade of the Strait of Hormuz cut off the kingdom's only other maritime route.
Riyadh last week struck Houthi targets in Yemen in response to threats to Red Sea shipping. A Saudi-led military coalition had fought the Houthis in support of Yemen's internationally recognised government after war broke out in Yemen in 2015.
The latest flare-up marks the first time in years that Saudi Arabia and the Houthis have traded blows, threatening a 2022 truce in Yemen's previous conflict that has held despite expiring.
Update
Saudi Arabia had not commented on the Houthi claim about the NCC Ghazal at the time of the report.
Saudi defence ministry spokesman Turki al-Maliki said Saudi air defences intercepted and destroyed several drones that attempted to target oil installations in the country's east.
Al-Maliki said the drone attacks were launched from Iraqi territory and carried out by militias linked to Iran.
The Islamic Resistance in Iraq rejected Saudi accusations on Monday, calling them fabrications.
Source note: AFP news report published on 28 July 2026 at 20:25:31 UTC.
Update
MarineTraffic, owned by maritime tracking firm Kpler, listed the Ghazal as a Saudi-flagged tanker whose last known location was the Saudi port of Yanbu.
The source item says the Houthi blockade threatens Saudi Arabia's ability to get supplies to the world after Iran's parallel blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
The item says Riyadh struck Houthi targets in Yemen last week in response to threats to Red Sea shipping.
The latest flare-up is described as the first time in years that Saudi Arabia and the Houthis have traded blows, threatening a 2022 truce that has held despite expiring.
Source note: AFP news report published on 28 July 2026 at 18:34:35 UTC.
Update
The Houthis identified the Saudi tanker as the NCC Ghazal.
The Houthis said they targeted the vessel with ballistic missiles.
The Houthis said the ship allegedly violated their blockade on Saudi ports.
A Houthi military spokesman said the vessel ignored warnings and was forced to turn back.
Source note: AFP news report published on 28 July 2026 at 17:43:28 UTC.
Uncertainty notes
Saudi Arabia had not commented on the Houthi claim about the NCC Ghazal at the time of the report.
The report did not independently verify the Houthi claim that the tanker was targeted or forced to turn back.
The report did not independently verify Saudi Arabia's claim that drones targeting oil facilities were launched from Iraq by Iran-linked militias.
No damage or casualty figures were provided for the claimed tanker targeting or the intercepted drones.
Source
AFP news report published on .