Houthi Blockade of Saudi Oil Tankers Opens Strategic Opportunity for Russia

A missile strike by Yemen's Houthi movement on a Saudi oil tanker in the Red Sea, accompanied by the announcement of a maritime blockade, has created what the author describes as a new window of opportunity for Russia.

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Oil tanker at port

Houthis Launch Blockade of Saudi Tankers

The armed forces of Yemen's Ansar Allah movement launched a missile attack on the Saudi oil tanker Encelia, officially announcing the start of a full-scale maritime blockade of Saudi Arabia. On July 20, Sana'a's Humanitarian Operations Coordination Center (HOCC) sent emails to shipping companies stating that vessels were prohibited from loading or unloading cargo at Saudi ports. The notice warned that ships could become targets anywhere within the operational range of Yemen's armed forces. The Houthis said the blockade was imposed in response to Saudi Arabia's recent attack on Sana'a International Airport.

The strikes were carried out on July 22 in the Red Sea near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. According to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), the Encelia was struck by a missile on its starboard side about 70 nautical miles southwest of the Saudi city of Al Shuqaiq, causing a fire to break out on board. The crew issued a distress signal, and no casualties have been reported.

Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea stated that the group had targeted two Saudi tankers, Encelia and Layla. Damage to the second vessel has not yet been officially confirmed.

Saudi Arabia Faces Disruption to Oil Exports

The situation presents a major challenge for Saudi Arabia. Following the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, Riyadh redirected millions of barrels of oil through overland pipelines to the deep-water port of Yanbu on the Red Sea. From there, supertankers transported crude to Asia via the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which handled around 70% of this traffic. The alternative route through the Suez Canal had previously seen limited use because its depth does not allow fully loaded supertankers to pass.

Tankers are now forced to turn north through the Suez Canal, where supertankers must transfer their cargo twice to meet draft restrictions, before sailing around Europe and continuing to Asia via the Cape of Good Hope. This detour adds at least four weeks to the journey, creating supply shortages on the global oil market.

According to vessel-tracking systems, at least seven large tankers carrying Saudi crude either turned back or changed course following the incidents.

Arsenio Longo, founder of the maritime intelligence platform Huax, described the Houthi actions as "selective interference."

"The Houthis do not need to close Bab el-Mandeb. They need shipowners and insurers to believe they can strike specific vessels. The attack on Encelia removes any remaining doubt, while war-risk insurance premiums have already increased from roughly 0.3% to 0.75% of a vessel's value for transit through the southern Red Sea," he told Seatrade Maritime News.

Against this backdrop, officials in Tehran stated that if Iran is denied the ability to export its oil, all oil-producing countries in the region will face the same outcome. Following the attack, global Brent crude prices immediately climbed above $96 per barrel.

Russia Rides a New Geopolitical Wave

The blockade of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait creates a unique window of opportunity for Russia by significantly strengthening the competitive position of its crude on Asian markets.

Supplies of Russian Urals and ESPO (Eastern Siberia-Pacific Ocean) crude to Asia via the Arctic Northern Sea Route and eastern ports such as Kozmino and Nakhodka are physically unaffected by developments in the Middle East. For refineries in China and India, Russian deliveries from eastern ports become the most stable, secure, and predictable option. Brent prices above $96 per barrel also allow Russian producers to generate additional revenues despite existing discounts.

Russian oil tankers are also not being targeted by the Houthis. As a result, shipments departing from Baltic and Black Sea ports, including Novorossiysk and Primorsk, can continue using the Suez Canal and the Red Sea to reach Asia while paying significantly lower war-risk insurance premiums than Western or Saudi vessels.

Delays affecting Middle Eastern tankers are creating localized crude shortages across Asia. According to the author, Russia is well positioned to fill these gaps by increasing throughput along the Skovorodino-Mohe pipeline and expanding seaborne exports, further strengthening its energy ties with Asia's largest economies.