What is Yemen’s message to Saudi Arabia by showcasing the destruction of an oil tanker in the Red Sea

The Yemeni Armed Forces published a video on Wednesday showcasing the targeting of an oil tanker in the Red Sea for the first time since the start of Yemeni operations last November. What are the dimensions of the move?

Exclusive – Al-Khabar Al-Yemeni:

The video was full of surprises, starting with the booby-trapped boat used in the operation, which the Yemeni forces deliberately camouflaged in an attempt to hide its type, which is expected to be revealed later. Despite the force of the explosion, the Yemeni forces chose to target the bow of the ship, indicating that the objective was not to sink the oil-laden vessel but rather to send a somewhat different message that was not included in the statement of the spokesman, who confirmed the targeting of the Greek ship “CHIOS Lion” and attributed it to the ship’s violation of the decision to ban navigation to Israeli ports.

The status of the ship remains ambiguous so far, amidst the statements of the Joint Information Center for the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, managed by the British Navy, about the fuel leakage from it and the conflicting information provided by the British Maritime Trade Operations organization, with some reports mentioning damages while others indicate that the ship is heading towards a nearby port, while the specialized website “Traffic Visal” shows that the ship is still in the middle of the sea off the Saudi and Egyptian coasts since the moment it was targeted.

Although the recent operation is part of a series of operations that have targeted around 176 vessels since last November, and it is one of two ships targeted in the recent operation in the Red Sea, according to the statement of the Yemeni Armed Forces spokesman, focusing specifically on this ship carries a strong Yemeni message to Saudi Arabia that its oil is now in danger, especially as the recent operation comes at a time when relations between the two countries are witnessing escalating tensions, amidst warnings from the leader of Ansar Allah, Abdul-Malik Al-Houthi, about the dangers of the Saudi regime ignoring the warnings of the Yemeni people and continuing its economic escalation.

The Red Sea is the main outlet for Saudi oil exports, with about 4 million barrels passing through it daily, and Yemen’s escalation, if implemented, may include restricting and perhaps targeting Saudi ships, similar to their Israeli counterparts, especially considering the Yemeni leadership’s linking of the recent Saudi escalation with American efforts to lift the Yemeni blockade on Israeli occupation.