Iran-backed Houthi rebels said Monday, August 17, that they had targeted a Saudi vessel and four escort ships in the Red Sea, escalating tensions along a key maritime route.
The claim has not yet received an official response from Saudi authorities.
Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said on social media that the Saudi vessel was targeted with missiles launched from the Mokha area on Yemen’s western coast.
The reported attack comes amid a broader escalation involving Houthi forces and commercial shipping in and around the Red Sea.
Al Jazeera, citing local media, reported that four people were killed and eight others wounded in Houthi attacks in the Yemeni cities of Marib and Mokha.
Local authorities said six ballistic missiles and four drones struck Marib, injuring four people. Mokha has also reportedly come under Houthi attack in recent days.
Earlier, six people, including three Pakistanis, were reported killed and 10 others wounded after Houthi forces attacked a cargo vessel near Mokha in the Red Sea.
The Houthis announced last month that they would impose a blockade on Saudi ports, raising further concerns over the security of maritime traffic in the region.
The latest claims could not immediately be independently verified.
