The Iranian-backed Houthis have stepped up threats and strikes against Saudi Arabia during July amid rising US-Iran friction. Recent disputes center on the Houthi-controlled Sanaa airport and Iranian flight attempts into the facility, which Riyadh has blocked.

The Houthis declared a blockade on Saudi vessels passing through the Bab al-Mandab Strait. This move effectively places Iran in position to restrict both the Strait of Hormuz and the main entry to the Red Sea.

Overnight the Houthis claimed a high-impact military strike on two Saudi oil tankers, Encelia and Layla, accusing them of breaching the Red Sea blockade. Tracking data places both ships in the Red Sea at the time.

The group stated the attack used ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and drones, reporting precise impacts that started fires on both vessels. It added that ten ships had been turned away and warned of continued enforcement plus major retaliation against any Saudi response.

The Houthis appear intent on staying relevant by aligning with Iran and opening a fresh front. They also issued congratulations to Hamas on its new leadership selection.

Are the Houthis miscalculating?

Saudi Arabia's Arab News examined whether the Houthis are overreaching. Four Saudi crude tankers reversed course after the militia warned that any ship heading to Saudi ports risked attack anywhere within Yemeni reach, signaling a sharp rise in Red Sea tensions.

The report recalled earlier Houthi strikes on Israeli-linked shipping that followed the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack. Riyadh now shows greater resolve to protect its Red Sea supply lines. Experts view the latest moves as another attempt to use military threats for leverage at the negotiating table.

The escalation ties directly to the Sanaa airport dispute, including an airstrike earlier in July that stopped an Iranian plane from landing. The Houthis blamed Saudi Arabia, ended the de-escalation period and launched missiles and drones at Abha International Airport in southwest Saudi Arabia, breaking the truce more sharply than at any point since 2022.

Former senior CIA officer Norman Roule noted that US naval forces in the region can work with Saudi partners to keep Red Sea traffic stable. European navies under Operation Aspides are also adding mine-sweeping capacity that would prove useful.

Houthis threatening the best alternative to blocked Strait of Hormuz

The Houthi warnings carry weight. Saudi Arabia has shifted energy exports to the Red Sea because the Strait of Hormuz is closed. Any Houthi attempt to close this second route would affect Saudi Arabia, other Gulf states and worldwide oil and energy supplies.

Arab News noted that Saudi Arabia is exploring expansion of its East-West pipeline to the Red Sea coast to move more oil without passing through Hormuz. This shift could prompt Riyadh to adopt firmer defensive steps, including strikes on Houthi launch sites and maritime assets, compared with earlier phases of the Yemen conflict.

The Houthis quoted leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi as redefining the full scope of conflict with Saudi Arabia and clarifying the equation for the next stage. Their media outlet Al-Masirah reported that Yemen will no longer accept foreign control over airports, ports and resources, and that any return to full escalation would place vital Saudi interests inside Yemen's deterrence range.

The slogan blockade for blockade, airport for airport points to a clear escalation ladder with Riyadh, with energy infrastructure emerging as a potential new target for expanded Houthi operations.