The Iran-aligned Houthi rebels have claimed to have attacked two Saudi oil tankers with ballistic missiles in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. Saudi authorities have not officially confirmed the attacks, and the extent of any damage to the vessels is still unknown.
On August 5, Yahya Sari, a military spokesman for the Houthi rebels, stated in a video message that they targeted the Saudi tanker 'Wafa' with multiple ballistic missiles near Yanbu in the northern Red Sea.
The Houthis also claimed to have fired ballistic missiles at another Saudi tanker, the 'Daisy,' which was sailing in the Gulf of Aden. They noted that the 'Wafa' was the eighth target since the Houthis declared a maritime blockade against Saudi vessels on July 22.
Yanbu is a key oil export port on the Red Sea, connected to Saudi Arabia's eastern oil fields and east-west pipelines. Following disruptions in oil transport through the Strait of Hormuz, Saudi Arabia has redirected some of its export volumes to Yanbu for transport via the Red Sea.
Last month, the Houthis accused Saudi Arabia of being behind airstrikes on the airport in Sana'a, the capital of Yemen under their control, and declared a suspension of the ceasefire along with a maritime blockade. Since then, they have been targeting Saudi-related vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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