Houthis strike Saudi tanker Wafaa

On August 5, 2026, Yemen's Houthis claimed a ballistic missile strike on the Saudi-flagged oil tanker Wafaa in the northern Red Sea off the coast of Saudi Arabia — Yanbu, Saudi Arabia. The attack, announced by Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree, was the eighth on Saudi oil tankers since the group declared a maritime blockade of Saudi Arabia on July 22. The Houthis stated they would escalate attacks in the northern Red Sea to prevent Saudi oil exports, as Saudi Arabia has diverted tankers there following the blockade and Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Saudi authorities did not immediately comment, and the extent of damage or casualties remained unclear. The incident dented hopes of de-escalation in the Middle East conflict, reversing some of the previous day's oil price declines. Saudi Aramco's CEO Amin H. Nasser said the attacks had no material impact on production, while the company reported a 44% rise in second-quarter net profit. The Red Sea has become a critical route for Saudi crude exports since the Strait of Hormuz closure, with Bab-el-Mandeb traffic surging.