![Houthi Rebels Report Strikes on Two Saudi Oil Tankers in Red Sea</TITLE]Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi rebels have claimed responsibility for attacking two Saudi Arabian oil tankers navigating the Red Sea.Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree stated on Wednesday, “We targeted two Saudi oil tankers, named ENCELA and LAYLIA, for their violation of the blockade decision issued by the armed forces.”Saree noted that the operation utilized a combination of drones, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles.While Saudi Arabia has yet to issue a formal response, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) confirmed receiving reports of a strike. According to the UKMTO, a vessel’s master reported being hit by an unidentified projectile, resulting in an onboard fire that the crew is currently working to extinguish.The escalation follows the Houthi movement’s decision on July 20 to impose a maritime blockade on Saudi Arabia. This move comes amidst heightened volatility in Yemen, following recent airstrikes by the Yemeni government on Sanaa Airport intended to intercept Iranian flights.Saudi Arabia has consistently denied Houthi allegations regarding a siege on the Yemeni population. Additionally, critics of the Houthi movement have highlighted their refusal to accept a Jordanian proposal to restore flight connections between Amman and Sanaa.As the US-Israel conflict with Iran has caused significant disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, Saudi Arabia has sought to utilize alternative routes through the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait to maintain oil supplies. However, these routes are now facing direct threats from Houthi operations.The Houthi campaign against shipping in the Bab al-Mandeb Strait began in October 2023, following the start of the conflict in Gaza, and continued through the announcement of a Gaza ceasefire in October 2025.The Bab al-Mandeb Strait serves as a vital global maritime artery, linking the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden. At its narrowest, the chokepoint is only 29km wide, restricting traffic to two channels for vessels moving toward or away from the Suez Canal.In 2024, approximately 4.1 billion barrels of crude and refined petroleum products—roughly five percent of the global supply—traversed this strait. Given the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz due to the US-Israel war with Iran, any closure of the Bab al-Mandeb could potentially obstruct up to 25 percent of the world’s oil and gas supply.](https://i2.wp.com/www.aljazeera.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/ap_6a613e7ed9b96-1784757886.jpg?resize=1920%2C1440&w=1024&resize=1024,1024&ssl=1 "Houthi Rebels Report Strikes on Two Saudi Oil Tankers in Red Sea</TITLE]Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi rebels have claimed responsibility for attacking two Saudi Arabian oil tankers navigating the Red Sea.Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree stated on Wednesday, “We targeted two Saudi oil tankers, named ENCELA and LAYLIA, for their violation of the blockade decision issued by the armed forces.”Saree noted that the operation utilized a combination of drones, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles.While Saudi Arabia has yet to issue a formal response, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) confirmed receiving reports of a strike. According to the UKMTO, a vessel’s master reported being hit by an unidentified projectile, resulting in an onboard fire that the crew is currently working to extinguish.The escalation follows the Houthi movement’s decision on July 20 to impose a maritime blockade on Saudi Arabia. This move comes amidst heightened volatility in Yemen, following recent airstrikes by the Yemeni government on Sanaa Airport intended to intercept Iranian flights.Saudi Arabia has consistently denied Houthi allegations regarding a siege on the Yemeni population. Additionally, critics of the Houthi movement have highlighted their refusal to accept a Jordanian proposal to restore flight connections between Amman and Sanaa.As the US-Israel conflict with Iran has caused significant disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, Saudi Arabia has sought to utilize alternative routes through the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait to maintain oil supplies. However, these routes are now facing direct threats from Houthi operations.The Houthi campaign against shipping in the Bab al-Mandeb Strait began in October 2023, following the start of the conflict in Gaza, and continued through the announcement of a Gaza ceasefire in October 2025.The Bab al-Mandeb Strait serves as a vital global maritime artery, linking the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden. At its narrowest, the chokepoint is only 29km wide, restricting traffic to two channels for vessels moving toward or away from the Suez Canal.In 2024, approximately 4.1 billion barrels of crude and refined petroleum products—roughly five percent of the global supply—traversed this strait. Given the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz due to the US-Israel war with Iran, any closure of the Bab al-Mandeb could potentially obstruct up to 25 percent of the world’s oil and gas supply.")
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has invited media to the Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, for a tour and ribbon‑cutting ceremony this Friday, July 31. The event will mark the opening of the Flight Dynamics Research Facility, the agency’s first new wind tunnel in more than four decades.
Following the ceremony, a brief media availability will take place. Presenters will include NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman,(EIF) Dr. Trina Dyal, center director of NASA Langley, and Administrator Edward C. FOLLOW ONmoz oznGist the General Services Administration.
The event is in‑person only and is open to media members who are United States citizens or lawful permanent residents. Final start times and additional details will be released closer to the date. Media accreditation policies can be found online via NASA’s standard procedures.
Media wishing to attend in person must RSVP no later than 5 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, July 29. RSVPs should be emailed to Kimiko Booker (kimiko.s.booker@nasa.gov) and Brittny McGraw (brittny.v.mcgraw@nasa.gov) and include the following information:
- Legal first and last names as they appear on government identification
- Email address
- Telephone number
- Job title and organization
The new wind tunnel represents a major milestone in the evolution of NASA’s aeronautics and space research capabilities. Equipped with state‑of‑the‑art instrumentation, the facility will enable advanced research and technology development that underpins NASA’s aeronautics, aanweeker exploration, and science missions. The work conducted here will contribute directly to NASA’s Artemis program, which aims to establish a sustainable human presence on the lunar surface and ultimately develop a Moon Base.
More information about the Flight Dynamics Research Facility is available on NASA’s website.
Kimiko Booker
kimiko.s.booker@nasa.gov
757-506‑5939
Brittny McGraw
brittny.v.mcgraw@nasa.gov
757-769‑3763Source link
