Houthis claim strikes on Saudi-linked ship, military positions in Yemen

Yemen's Houthi group has claimed responsibility for attacks on what it described as a Saudi military equipment transport vessel in the strategic Bab al-Mandab Strait, along with strikes on Saudi-backed forces in government-held areas of Mocha and Marib.

In a statement posted on X on Tuesday, the Houthi military media centre said its forces had targeted a “Saudi military equipment transport ship” while it was passing through the Bab al-Mandab Strait. The group did not identify the vessel or provide details about the weapons used or the extent of the damage.

In a separate statement, Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea claimed that a large number of ballistic missiles and drones were launched against troop concentrations, weapons depots and command centres in Mocha, a coastal city in southwestern Taiz province, and at Tadawin military camp in northeastern Marib province.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Sarea said the attacks were “precise” and resulted in dozens of casualties, including Saudi personnel. The claims could not be independently verified, and there was no immediate confirmation from Saudi authorities or the Yemeni government, Xinhua news agency reported.

However, pro-government Coast Guard forces separately reported that the commercial vessel Tihamah came under repeated missile attacks while sailing through Bab al-Mandab earlier on Tuesday.

According to an updated Coast Guard statement, six people were killed and 10 others injured in the attack. Four of those killed were crew members — three Pakistani nationals and one Indonesian — while the remaining two were members of the pro-government 2nd Naval Forces Brigade.

The Coast Guard said seven other crew members, two Coast Guard personnel and another member of the 2nd Naval Forces Brigade were wounded and were receiving medical treatment.

Rescue teams and government forces reportedly evacuated the injured after the missile strikes triggered a fire aboard the vessel and caused substantial damage.

The incident highlights the continuing risks to commercial shipping in one of the world's most strategically important maritime corridors. The Bab al-Mandab Strait links the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and serves as a major route for international trade and energy shipments.

Any sustained disruption in the area could have wider consequences for global shipping, potentially forcing vessels to take longer routes and increasing transportation, insurance and energy costs. The latest reported attack therefore adds to concerns over the security of commercial shipping in the Red Sea region.