Yemen’s Houthis claim missile attack on Saudi oil tanker in Red Sea

Sanaa: Yemen’s Houthi group said on Wednesday that it had launched a ballistic missile attack on a Saudi oil tanker in the northern Red Sea, as the group vowed to expand its campaign against Saudi-linked shipping.

In a televised statement aired by the Houthi-run al-Masirah TV, Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea said the tanker ‘Wafa’ was targeted with ballistic missiles off the coast of Yanbu, a major Saudi Red Sea port city.

“The strike was precise,” Sarea said, without providing details on possible damage or casualties. He said the operation was part of the group’s declared maritime campaign against Saudi-linked shipping, which he described as a “blockade-for-blockade” response.

Sarea said the latest attack brought the number of Saudi oil tankers targeted by Houthi forces since the campaign began to eight, while 29 other tankers had been forced to turn back. The claims could not be independently verified, Xinhua news agency reported. There was no immediate comment from Saudi authorities.

The latest claim comes amid rising tensions between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia. The group announced a maritime ban on Saudi-linked shipping in July, citing what it called a Saudi blockade on Houthi-controlled areas.

The renewed hostilities have raised concerns over security in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a key global shipping route.

Meanwhile, Yemen’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates on Wednesday strongly condemned the Houthi attack on the Indian commercial cargo vessel MSV Faize Noore Oliya in the Red Sea, describing it as a “terrorist attack” and a “flagrant violation of international law and the rules of international maritime law.”

In a statement shared on X, the ministry expressed Yemen’s solidarity with India and its continued coordination with the relevant Indian authorities, while extending necessary support and facilitation to the vessel’s crew members.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of the Republic of Yemen strongly condemns the Houthi terrorist attack targeting the Indian commercial cargo vessel ‘MSV Faize Noore Oliya’ using an explosive laden boat while it was sailing in the Red Sea, resulting in the vessel’s complete sinking. This constitutes a flagrant violation of international law and the rules of international maritime law, and poses a direct threat to the security and safety of navigation and the freedom of trade along international waterways,” Yemen’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs posted on X.

The statement came after India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Tuesday evening condemned the attack on the MSV Faize Noore Oliya and confirmed that the 13 Indian nationals have been rescued.

“We condemn the attack on the Indian flagged commercial vessel, MSV Faize Noore Oliya, that sank in the Red Sea, off the coast of Yemen on August 4, 2026. All 13 Indian nationals have been rescued. Our Embassy in Riyadh is closely monitoring the situation and proactively coordinating with the Yemeni authorities for the safety and security of the crew. We thank the Yemeni authorities for their support,” the MEA said.

“The continuing incidents of attacks on commercial shipping in the region are deeply worrisome. The targeting of commercial shipping in the region must end, and free and unimpeded navigation and commerce through the international waterways in the region, in keeping with international law, must be restored at the earliest,” it added.

IANS