Escalating Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping

In late July 2026 the Yemeni Houthi movement struck the Saudi‑flagged tankers Encelia and Layla in the Red Sea, igniting a fire and prompting the rebels to bar Saudi vessels from the waterway. United Nations envoy Hans Grundberg warned that the renewed missile and drone assaults could pull Yemen back into a broader conflict and erode the gains of the 2022 cease‑fire, while the EU naval mission advised commercial traffic to avoid the Bab el‑Mandeb until threat levels ease.

African Union Commission President Mahmoud Ali Youssouf condemned the attacks, stressing the danger to regional peace, maritime security and African supply chains, and reaffirmed strong AU support for Saudi sovereignty. The United States warned that continued Houthi strikes might trigger a larger military response against Iran, which backs the rebels.

The United Nations, citing Security Council resolution 2722 (2024), expressed deep alarm at the resurgence of attacks on merchant vessels and called for an immediate reduction of tensions.

Indonesia’s foreign ministry, India’s external affairs minister and the International Maritime Organisation also denounced the missile and drone strikes as violations of international law and threats to global trade, urging safe navigation and noting rising insurance and supply‑chain costs.

On 25 July a Saudi‑owned vessel, NCC MASA, sustained light hull damage after a Houthi strike; its crew were unharmed and the ship continued its voyage. Singapore’s ministry of foreign affairs condemned the attack, urging respect for UNCLOS and SOLAS, and highlighted growing concerns over the security of oil‑supply routes through the Red Sea and the Strait of Hormuz.