Yemen’s Houthis Claim Ballistic Missile Strike on Saudi Oil Tanker in Red Sea

• Houthis say a Saudi oil tanker was directly hit by a ballistic missile in the Red Sea.
• UK maritime authorities reported a fire aboard a tanker following an impact from an unidentified projectile.
• All crew members were reported safe, with no environmental damage recorded.
• The attack comes amid renewed fighting and a Houthi-declared maritime blockade against Saudi Arabia.

Yemen’s Houthi rebels said on Monday that their forces struck a Saudi oil tanker with a ballistic missile in the Red Sea, marking the latest attack linked to their declared maritime blockade against Saudi Arabia.

In a statement, the Iran-backed group claimed the missile hit the tanker accurately, triggering a fire aboard the vessel. The Houthis further alleged that several other ships in the area moved away following the strike.

The group said the operation was carried out as part of its decision to restrict maritime navigation involving Saudi Arabia.

The claim followed a report from the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), which said a tanker had been struck by an unidentified projectile off Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coast.

According to UKMTO, the vessel’s company security officer reported that the impact caused a fire on the tanker’s main deck. However, all crew members were confirmed safe and accounted for, while no environmental impact was reported.

The incident occurred approximately 63 nautical miles west of the Saudi port city of Yanbu, located hundreds of kilometres north of Yemen.

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

The latest incident comes amid renewed hostilities involving Yemen’s Houthis and Saudi Arabia. Last month, the Houthis announced a maritime blockade targeting their Saudi rivals and have since carried out attacks against vessels linked to the kingdom.

Yemen has remained engulfed in conflict for more than a decade. A 2022 truce had significantly reduced fighting, but tensions escalated again in July, bringing the country into the wider regional confrontation.

The latest round of hostilities began after the Houthis welcomed an Iranian aircraft in Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, prompting a series of retaliatory attacks.

Since fighting intensified, the Houthis have targeted Saudi tankers operating in the Red Sea and launched attacks against forces aligned with Yemen’s Saudi-backed government.

The group has also repeatedly targeted Saudi oil facilities and airports during previous periods of heightened confrontation, making maritime and energy infrastructure a key focus of the continuing hostilities.