Yemen’s Houthi rebels said on Monday they fired a missile at an oil tanker off the Saudi Arabian coast, raising fears of renewed attacks on one of the world’s most important shipping lanes.
The group’s military spokesman, Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree, announced the strike in a prerecorded broadcast on the Houthi-run channel al-Masirah.
He identified the targeted vessel as the Scarlet Ray, claiming it had links to Israel. The ship’s owners have not publicly commented.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center reported that a vessel near Yanbu, Saudi Arabia, experienced a loud splash and a bang close to its hull, though details on damage remain unclear.
Between late 2023 and the end of 2024, Houthi forces carried out more than 100 attacks on commercial ships using drones and missiles, sinking four vessels and killing at least eight crew members.
Their operations were tied to the conflict in Gaza and drew international military responses, including a U.S.-led air campaign against the rebels.
The latest strike comes shortly after Israeli air raids killed the Houthis’ prime minister and several Cabinet officials.
In addition to the missile attack, the rebels stormed U.N. offices in Sanaa on Sunday, detaining at least 11 aid workers.
These moves appear to be part of a wider retaliation as regional ceasefire talks remain uncertain and U.S.–Iran negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear program face new complications.