A Saudi VLCC, the 320,926-dwt Amzan, was struck by a projectile west of Yanbu on August 24, according to splash247.com. The attack — claimed by Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree as a ballistic missile strike — occurred 63 nautical miles from port, roughly 1,000 km north of Yemen’s core conflict zone. Yanbu had recently handled ~3.8 million barrels per day of crude exports amid Hormuz disruptions, but tanker calls there dropped over one-third after the Houthis’ July 20 port ban. Saudi Arabia has since rerouted VLCCs to Egypt’s Ain Sukhna and Sidi Kerir via the Sumed pipeline.
According to splash247.com, a Saudi-owned very large crude carrier (VLCC), the Amzan, was struck by an unknown projectile approximately 63 nautical miles west of Yanbu in the northern Red Sea on August 24.
Incident details and vessel profile
The Amzan, a 320,926 dwt tanker built in 2014, is owned by Bahri, the national shipping company of Saudi Arabia. UK Maritime Trade Operations confirmed that the projectile caused a fire on the main deck but reported all crew members safe and no pollution observed. The vessel sails under the Saudi flag and was operating in one of the kingdom’s most critical alternative crude export corridors.
The strike marks a geographic escalation in the Houthi campaign: Yanbu lies roughly 1,000 km north of the group’s primary operational zones in Yemen. Since disruptions intensified in the Strait of Hormuz, Riyadh has increasingly relied on Yanbu to reroute crude exports — with recent volumes reaching around 3.8 million barrels per day.
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree claimed responsibility, stating the ship was targeted with a ballistic missile as part of their declared blockade of Saudi-linked shipping. The weapon type has not been independently verified by external sources.
Strategic rerouting and port impact
The Houthis announced their ban on Saudi port traffic on July 20, after which tanker calls at Yanbu fell by more than a third. In response, Saudi authorities have redirected some VLCC cargoes north through the Red Sea. This includes partial discharge operations at Egypt’s Ain Sukhna, followed by Suez Canal transit and reloading via the Sumed pipeline at Sidi Kerir.
This multi-stage routing adds logistical complexity and time to shipments previously handled directly from Yanbu. The incident underscores growing pressure on infrastructure outside traditional chokepoints — particularly as Red Sea security deteriorates and alternative routes face new targeting risks.
Source: splash247.com
Compiled from international media by the SCI.AI editorial team.
