The group said it fired ballistic missiles at the 49,990 dwt chemical and products tanker NCC Ghazal for ignoring warnings and violating its navigation ban. Houthi spokesman Yahya Saree claimed the vessel was forced to retreat.      Maritime security analyst Martin Kelly said NCC Ghazal was struck by anti-ship missiles in the southern Red Sea and turned back. Neither Saudi authorities nor operator Bahri had confirmed damage at the time of writing.      The 2014-built tanker switched off its AIS on July 23 and was last publicly tracked near Yanbu. UKMTO separately reported that the master of an unidentified tanker heard an explosion near Jizan. The vessel and crew were safe, with no pollution reported, but UKMTO did not link the incident to NCC Ghazal.

The latest target follows attacks on Encelia, Layla and NCC Masa. Saudi authorities confirmed that Encelia caught fire after being struck, while the Houthi claim against Layla has not been independently verified. NCC Masa sustained only superficial damage and continued its voyage.      The campaign has produced a volatile traffic picture rather than a complete closure. Kpler data showed just 11 vessels passing Bab el-Mandeb on Sunday, the lowest total in months. Crossings recovered to 28 on Monday and 37 on Tuesday, the highest since July 19. Tuesday’s movement comprised 20 ships entering the Red Sea and 17 leaving, although no VLCCs or LNG carriers made the passage.    The Joint Maritime Information Center has raised the threat level for the southern Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb to substantial, assessing further attacks as a strong possibility.      Diplomacy is now extending beyond Hormuz. The National newspaper in the UAE reported that the United States and Iran have widened their unofficial contacts to include maritime security in the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb.