San’a, August 6: The Houthi group in Yemen has claimed responsibility for a missile strike on a Saudi oil tanker in the Gulf of Aden. This incident follows a separate missile attack on another Saudi tanker in the northern Red Sea just hours earlier.
On Wednesday, Houthi spokesperson Yahya Saree announced on the social media platform X that the tanker, identified as “Daisy,” was hit by a ballistic missile and was forced to return.
Saree stated that this attack is part of the group’s declared maritime blockade against Saudi Arabia, which follows a “blockade for blockade” policy.
According to the Xinhua news agency, he mentioned that Houthi fighters are closely monitoring Saudi oil tankers and will continue to obstruct their routes in the southern and northern Red Sea until the blockade on Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen is lifted.
Meanwhile, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations reported a loud explosion near a tanker off the southern coast of Yemen in the Gulf of Aden on Wednesday. They confirmed that all crew members are safe.
The UKMTO stated on X that the incident occurred approximately 95 nautical miles southeast of Aden. A tanker master reported hearing a loud explosion near the vessel and confirmed the safety of the crew.
Residents in the Houthi-controlled area of Mukayris in Yemen’s central Al-Bayda province informed Xinhua that they received reports of a missile launch towards the Gulf of Aden from their region.
It remains unclear whether the two incidents are connected, and the Houthis have not yet claimed responsibility for the explosion. This event occurs amid escalating tensions between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia.
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