Sanaa, Aug. 5 -- Yemen's Houthi rebels announced on Wednesday that they executed a targeted strike against a Saudi oil tanker in the northern Red Sea, framing the operation as part of an escalating maritime blockade.

In an official statement shared on X, spokesperson Yahya Saree stated that the operation struck the Saudi oil tanker "Wafaa" off the coast of the port city of Yanbu. According to Saree, the strike was executed "with a number of ballistic missiles, and the strike was accurate, by the grace of Allah".

Highlighting the wider scope of their maritime campaign, Saree noted that this latest engagement brings the total number of vessels hit by their forces to eight Saudi oil ships since the start of the maritime ban last month.

"W...