Iran-allied Houthi rebels in Yemen reportedly struck two Saudi Arabian oil tankers in the Red Sea earlier today, as they attempt to close off the Bab el-Mandab Strait at the southern end of the Red Sea to Saudi shipping. From the Associated Press:
"The Houthis’ SABA news agency said the rebels had struck two tankers, the Encelia and the Layla, in the Red Sea, leading to fires on both. That would be their first reported attack on a vessel since they announced a blockade of Saudi-linked shipping through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait earlier this week in retaliation for the kingdom’s blockade on Yemen and a recent attack on the international airport in Yemen’s rebel-held capital, Sanaa.
Bab el-Mandeb, at the southern tip of the Arabian Peninsula, is a vital shipping chokepoint connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden. Around 12% of the world’s trade, including a fourth of global container traffic, passes through there, moving between Europe and Asia via Egypt’s Suez Canal.
A senior Houthi official said the blockade on Saudi-linked shipping would remain in effect until a years-old Saudi blockade against the Houthis is lifted. The official gave no details of the attack and spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the media." (our emphasis)
The Houthis have been the target of airstrikes by Israeli and U.S. in the past over their assaults on shipping in the Red Sea near the vital Strait. This blockade is targeted at the Saudis, who have backed the government in Yemen for years and provided military support to them. With the closure of the Strait of Hormuz forcing higher oil and gas prices, the Houthi action puts additional pressure on the reckless regime of the Malignant Fascist and his corrupt friend Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin "Bone Saw" Salman, not to mention world oil prices already rising due to the MF's war on Iran.
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