Houthis claim missile attack on Saudi oil tanker in Gulf of Aden

Sanaa:Yemen’s Houthi group have said it had targeted a Saudi oil tanker with a ballistic missile in the Gulf of Aden, several hours after claiming a separate missile attack on another Saudi tanker in the northern Red Sea.

In a statement posted on social media platform X on Wednesday (local time), Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea said the tanker, identified as “Daisy,” was hit by a ballistic missile and “forced to turn back.”

Sarea said the attack was part of the group’s declared maritime blockade against Saudi Arabia under a “blockade-for-blockade” policy.

He said Houthi forces are closely monitoring Saudi oil tankers and will block their passage through the southern and northern Red Sea until what they call a blockade on Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen is lifted, reports Xinhua news agency.

Meanwhile, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations said a tanker reported hearing a loud explosion nearby while sailing in the Gulf of Aden off Yemen’s southern coast on Wednesday, adding that all crew were safe.

Earlier in the day, the Houthis said they had targeted the Saudi oil tanker “Wafa” with several ballistic missiles off the Saudi port city of Yanbu in the northern Red Sea. Sarea called the strike “precise,” without providing further details.

There was no immediate comment from Saudi authorities on either claim, which could not be independently verified.

The latest claims come amid escalating tensions between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia. On July 20, the Houthis announced a maritime ban on Saudi-linked shipping in the Red Sea, citing an alleged Saudi blockade on Houthi-held areas.

The group has also claimed multiple attacks on Saudi-linked vessels, energy sites and airports, while the Saudi-led coalition has resumed limited airstrikes on key Houthi military targets in Yemen.

Yemen has been mired in conflict since late 2014, when the Houthis seized much of northern Yemen, including the capital Sanaa, prompting a Saudi-led coalition to intervene in 2015 in support of the internationally recognised government.

IANS