Political analysts believe that the threat posed by the Houthi militias through piracy operations and disruption of international navigation requires a collective response from international and regional parties, following the targeting of the vessel 'Ensilia,' belonging to a Saudi company, while sailing in the Red Sea on Thursday.

A responsible Saudi source reported early Thursday that the vessel 'Ensilia' was targeted in the Red Sea, confirming the safety of its crew and that necessary measures were taken to secure it. https://t.co/npO9cE5d0M — Asharq Al-Awsat (@aawsat_News) July 23, 2026

Amid regional and international solidarity and support for Saudi Arabia in response to the statements of the group issued by its military spokesman on Monday, a responsible source in the 'General Authority of Transport' in Saudi Arabia announced early Thursday, stressing that these targeting operations constitute a violation of international laws and norms that ensure the safety of commercial ships and their crews, and that the relevant authorities are taking all necessary measures to secure them, their crews, and protect the marine environment, emphasizing Saudi Arabia's call on the international community to fulfill its responsibilities regarding the implementation of relevant Security Council resolutions, foremost among them Resolution 2216 on Yemen and Resolution 2722 on the rights and freedom of navigation in the Red Sea.

The militia claimed responsibility for the attack in an official statement. Saudi political analyst Faisal Al-Shammari told Asharq Al-Awsat that the absence of casualties does not diminish the seriousness of the attack or the political and military message it carries. He explained that 'the Houthis are an armed organization outside the law, they overthrew the recognized legitimate government, seized state institutions by force, and turned Yemeni territory into a platform to threaten neighboring countries and international navigation.' For these reasons, he calls for not treating their attacks as defensive actions or legitimate political positions, but rather as an extension of an armed project that imposed itself by force, rejected the logic of state and law, and works for the benefit of the 'Revolutionary Guard.'

The 'Coalition to Support Legitimacy in Yemen' affirmed that it will take all firm and strict operational measures to protect its naval vessels in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, in accordance with international law. https://t.co/0b6gvAPDkl — Asharq Al-Awsat (@aawsat_News) July 21, 2026

Political analyst Monef Al-Harbi shares the same view, stressing that the international community is required to do its duty to protect international straits, including the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, and adds that the point in the Saudi statement about 'taking necessary measures' implicitly refers to military deterrence if necessary.

Al-Harbi interprets the situation as the Houthi 'through his misreading of events collides with Yemeni legitimacy, the Saudi-led coalition, and the international community.' Nevertheless, the political solution remains on the table with the roadmap proposed by the UN envoy in late 2023, but according to Al-Harbi, that is conditional on 'the Houthi coming to his senses and abandoning regional calculations that destroy Yemen.'

For his part, Saudi political analyst Ahmed Al-Ibrahim recalled Saudi efforts to highlight the importance of this file, emphasizing the security of maritime straits in the region, including the Strait of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb, and warning that reaching this level of escalation would exacerbate challenges to maritime security, requiring a collective response. He reiterated the statement of the 'Coalition to Support Legitimacy in Yemen' about its launch of measures to protect coalition ships through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, and its affirmations that it will respond to Houthi threats to passing ships with all firmness and force, considering them a clear violation of international law and amounting to acts of maritime piracy.

Facts

Riyadh affirmed taking firm measures to protect its security and its ships.

The Saudi Council of Ministers, during its session chaired by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz in Jeddah on Tuesday, stressed the Kingdom's continued support for Yemen and its legitimate government, and taking firm measures to protect its security and its ships in accordance with international laws.