Houthis claim 'successful' ballistic missile strike on another Saudi oil tanker in Gulf of Aden
Sanaa, August 6
Yemen's Houthi rebels claimed that they have "successfully" carried out a ballistic missile strike on a Saudi oil tanker in the Gulf of Aden, as the Iran-aligned group continued its campaign against Saudi-linked vessels in the region.
In a statement on Telegram, the Houthis claimed that the Saudi oil tanker "Daisy" was targeted with a ballistic missile and said the vessel was hit and forced to change course.
"Successfully targeted the Saudi oil tanker 'Daisy' in the Gulf of Aden with a ballistic missile. The operation achieved its objective, by the grace of God, and the ship was hit and forced to turn back," the statement read.
The Houthis said the attack was carried out as part of a maritime blockade against Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea, particularly through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, warning that they would continue targeting Saudi oil vessels until their demands were met.
"This targeting comes within the framework of enforcing the maritime blockade against the Saudi enemy, according to the principle of 'blockade for blockade'," the statement added.
"Closely monitoring all movements of Saudi oil tankers and will not allow the passage of any ship, whether from the southern or northern Red Sea, until the legitimate demands of our people are met and the blockade is lifted," it added.
The claim comes a day after the Houthis announced another strike on a Saudi oil tanker in the northern Red Sea.
Houthi spokesperson Yahya Saree said the tanker Wafaa was targeted off the coast of the Saudi port city of Yanbu with ballistic missiles.
"The strike was accurate, by the grace of Allah," Saree said in a statement shared on X.
The Houthi spokesperson claimed that the strikes on Wafaa brought the number of Saudi oil ships targeted by the group to eight since the beginning of their maritime campaign on July 22. He also claimed that 29 Saudi oil vessels had been prevented from continuing their routes or forced to turn back in the Red Sea and Arabian Sea.
Meanwhile, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported two separate maritime incidents in the region on August 5.
In one warning, UKMTO said it received a report of an incident 95 nautical miles southeast of Aden, Yemen, where a tanker master reported hearing a loud explosion near the vessel. The crew was reported safe, with no environmental impact, and authorities were investigating.
In another warning, UKMTO said it received a delayed report of an incident 9 nautical miles southeast of Kumzar, Oman, where a tanker master reported hearing two explosions while transiting the Strait of Hormuz. The vessel and crew were safe, and no environmental damage was reported.
— ANI
Reader Comments
The Houthis talk about "blockade for blockade" but where does this end? Innocent sailors and crews are at risk. India must use its diplomatic channels to push for de-escalation in the region. Our maritime security depends on this route.
This is just another chapter in the proxy war between Iran and Saudi Arabia. The Houthis are clearly Iran's pawns here. Meanwhile, global shipping pays the price. The UN needs to enforce maritime security protocols more strictly.
As someone who works in shipping logistics, let me tell you this is causing massive rerouting costs. Vessels are taking longer routes around Africa, adding weeks to delivery times. Indian ports are also affected. We need a stable Middle East, not more conflict.
It's concerning how brazen these attacks are becoming. The Houthis claim "success" but real victims are the families of seafarers, many of whom are from South Asia. My prayers for their safety. 🙏
Honestly, Saudi Arabia's blockade of Yemen led to this. The Houthis are responding in kind. It's a cycle of violence that hurts everyone, including India. We should urge both sides to come to the negotiating table instead of escalating.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.