Houthis Claim Missile Strike on Saudi Oil Tanker in Red Sea

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels said on Monday that their forces struck a Saudi-flagged oil tanker in the Red Sea with a ballistic missile, as the group continues its declared maritime blockade of Saudi Arabia.

“The strike was accurate and direct,” the Houthis said in a statement, claiming that the attack caused a fire aboard the vessel and prompted other ships in the area to flee.

The group said the attack was carried out as part of its decision to prohibit maritime navigation by what it called the “Saudi enemy.”

The claim came hours after the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported that a tanker had been struck by an “unknown projectile” and caught fire off Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coast.

“The Company Security Officer reported a tanker has been struck by an unknown projectile causing a fire to the vessel on the main deck,” UKMTO said, adding that all crew members were safe and accounted for and that no environmental impact had been reported.

The incident occurred about 63 nautical miles west of the Saudi port city of Yanbu, hundreds of kilometers north of Yemen.

British maritime security firm Vanguard Tech also reported that a Saudi-flagged vessel had been hit by a missile and caught fire.

The Houthis declared a maritime blockade of Saudi Arabia last month and have since targeted Saudi-linked shipping in the Red Sea.

The latest escalation follows the outbreak of renewed hostilities in July, after the Houthis welcomed an Iranian aircraft in Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, triggering a series of retaliatory attacks.

Yemen has been mired in more than a decade of civil war. The Houthis seized control of much of the country, including Sanaa, and have fought forces backed by Saudi Arabia.  

The rebels have also repeatedly targeted Saudi oil infrastructure and airports, while recent fighting has included attacks on Saudi tankers and Yemeni government forces.