Houthis Claim Missiles Forced Saudi Tanker NCC Ghazal to Turn Back

Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis said they fired several ballistic missiles at the Saudi tanker NCC Ghazal in the Red Sea after accusing it of violating their maritime blockade and ignoring warnings. The group claimed the ship was forced to turn back, but provided no independent evidence of a hit or damage. The 2014-built vessel belongs to National Chemical Carriers, a subsidiary of Saudi shipping company Bahri. The latest claim extends the Houthi campaign against Saudi shipping as the Iran conflict continues to threaten the region's major energy routes.