The Red Sea has become an active second front in the region’s maritime conflict, with the Houthis resuming attacks on July 22 following a ceasefire that had held since September 2025, according to Windward. The maritime intelligence firm reports that four vessels were hit or affected during the reporting period, and that a Houthi missile strike hit the Saudi Aramco refinery at Jizan on July 25, with five thermal anomalies detected across the complex via overhead fire monitoring data.
According to Windward, missiles aimed at Yanbu were intercepted, though EO imagery showed a smoke plume south of the Yanbu Aramco refinery consistent with possible debris from the interception. The Jizan facility, capable of processing roughly 400,000 barrels per day, represents about 4% of Aramco’s total daily output, Windward notes.
Yanbu Port Goes Dark
Windward’s imagery analysis documents a stark shift at King Fahd Industrial Port in Yanbu, where tanker operations have moved from predominantly AIS-active to entirely AIS-dark at berth. By July 26, Windward reports 11 dark tankers at berth and 3 more dark in the waiting area, with no AIS-active vessels confirmed — a pattern the firm attributes to vessels shielding themselves from a Houthi hit list targeting Saudi-linked tonnage.
Saudi Crude Finds a Workaround
Windward reports that Yanbu loading volumes fell roughly 40% after July 19, while Egypt-bound flows rose, consistent with increased use of the SUMED pipeline from Ain Sokhna to Sidi Kerir on Egypt’s Mediterranean coast, with cargo then routed around the Cape of Good Hope. Windward cites one confirmed fixture in which a Korean energy major paid $18.5 million to load 280,000 metric tons — equivalent to roughly $9 per barrel, or 8-9% of total transport cost.
Enforcement Actions in the Gulf of Oman
Separately, Windward reports that U.S. Central Command boarded and released the sanctioned tanker CHARMINAR in the Gulf of Oman — a vessel it describes as stateless after expulsion from the Comoros registry — calling it the first significant confirmed blockade breaker to pass through U.S. verification. CENTCOM also disabled the MT LAVINE after four blockade breach attempts, according to Windward.
Windward’s Early Detection system flagged 43 crude oil tankers with AIS gaps in the Arabian Gulf between July 15 and 22, which the firm describes as the highest single reading in four years. Separately, the EU’s 21st sanctions package designated 41 additional vessels and, for the first time, a crewing agency, Windward reports.
Does This Matter to You?
For those monitoring Red Sea and Gulf transit risk, this report from Windward signals a meaningful shift in operating conditions. Vessel operators and charterers with Saudi-linked cargo or port calls at Yanbu may face altered visibility expectations as AIS-dark operations become standard at berth. Bunker traders and crude buyers tracking Saudi export flows should note the emerging SUMED pipeline and Cape of Good Hope routing, which Windward says adds measurable cost and voyage time. Marine insurers and risk teams may also find the CENTCOM enforcement actions and the rising Arabian Gulf dark-activity readings relevant to compliance and sanctions screening. The source material does not indicate how long these conditions will persist.
Gulf Bunkering does not provide operational or security guidance. This article is for informational purposes only. Operators should consult flag state authorities, P&I clubs, and relevant advisories for decisions relating to transit planning.
Sources: Windward
