In the early morning of the 23rd, Yemen's 'Youth Movement' announced that the group had used missiles and drones to attack two Saudi Arabian oil tankers in the Red Sea for violating its embargo order.
The 'Youth Movement' spokesperson, Sareya, said in a statement broadcast on the group's controlled Masirah TV channel that the organization used multiple ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and drones to strike two Saudi Arabian oil tankers that violated its maritime embargo order. He claimed the strikes were 'precisely on target' and caused both tankers to catch fire.
The statement did not specify the exact location of the incident or mention whether there were any casualties.
Sareya noted that the 'Youth Movement' has already forced nearly 10 vessels to turn back.
He warned that any military action by Saudi Arabia against the 'Youth Movement' would provoke large-scale strikes on deep targets within Saudi Arabia.
On the 22nd, the UK Maritime Trade Operations Office issued a notice saying that at 20:00 UTC on the 22nd (which is 4:00 a.m. on the 23rd Malaysia time), they received a report from the captain of an oil tanker saying it had come under attack. According to the notice, the ship caught fire after being hit by an 'unidentified projectile,' and the crew is currently fighting the fire. The incident occurred about 70 nautical miles southwest of the Saudi Arabian coastal town of Shuqaiq.
On the 20th, Yemen's 'Youth Movement' announced a maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia and warned international shipping companies that vessels conducting trade with Saudi Arabian ports could face military strikes.