UAE condemns Houthi attack on Saudi-operated tanker in Red Sea

ABU DHABI — The United Arab Emirates has strongly condemned a Houthi attack on the ENCELIA, a vessel operated by a Saudi company, as it sailed through the Red Sea.

In a statement, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the attack posed a serious threat to the safety and security of international navigation and amounted to a dangerous escalation aimed at undermining the security and stability of one of the world's vital maritime corridors.

The ministry called on the international community to ensure the implementation of the relevant UN Security Council resolutions, in particular Resolution 2216 on Yemen and Resolution 2722 on the rights and freedom of navigation in the Red Sea.

It stressed that freedom of navigation through international waterways is a right guaranteed under international law and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and reaffirmed the UAE's full solidarity with Saudi Arabia and its support for all measures safeguarding the Kingdom's security and stability.

The attack comes days after the Houthi group declared a maritime embargo on Saudi Arabia and its military spokesman accused the Kingdom of imposing a siege on Yemen and obstructing navigation — allegations Riyadh has rejected as false, saying it would take all necessary measures to protect its vessels.

Those statements drew a wave of condemnation from Arab and Islamic governments and organisations, including Qatar, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and the Muslim World League, which voiced solidarity with Saudi Arabia and urged enforcement of the UN resolutions.

The Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait form one of the world's most important shipping arteries, carrying a substantial share of global trade and energy cargoes.

Repeated attacks on merchant shipping in the corridor since 2023 have pushed up insurance costs and prompted some operators to reroute vessels around southern Africa, lengthening voyages and raising freight rates.