Saudi Arabia's last major oil route comes under Houthi pressure

On Wednesday, the Houthi movement in Yemen stated that they fired ballistic missiles at the NCC Wafaa, a Saudi oil tanker located off the coast of Yanbu, a major port city in the northern Red Sea. This incident marks the northernmost attack conducted by the group since the onset of their maritime campaign, directly threatening Saudi Arabia's last major oil route.

While attacks on Saudi vessels have maintained a limited impact up to this point, analysts note that a geographic escalation toward the northern region of the waterway could significantly increase economic pressure on the kingdom.