Houthi Forces Target ‘Israeli-Linked’ Ship with Missile Attack

(MENAFN) Yemen’s Houthi forces claimed responsibility Monday for launching a missile strike on an oil tanker with alleged Israeli ties, escalating tensions in one of the world’s most critical maritime corridors.

The vessel, identified as Scarlet Ray, was struck late Sunday by a ballistic missile in the northern Red Sea, according to a televised statement from Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea, aired on TV, the group's media arm.

Sarea framed the strike as part of the Houthis' ongoing military campaign in response to Israeli actions in Gaza, indicating that such operations would continue until the conflict ends and the blockade is lifted.

Separately, the UK Maritime Trade Operations agency said it had received a report of an incident around 40 nautical miles southwest of Yanbu, a major Saudi port. According to a statement on X, the tanker’s captain reported a nearby splash and a loud noise. No injuries were reported, and the vessel proceeded on its route without further incident.

This latest attack follows an Israeli airstrike three days earlier in Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, which is under Houthi control. That strike reportedly killed the group’s de facto Prime Minister, Ahmed al-Rahawi, along with several other high-ranking officials.

The Houthis, aligned with Iran and in control of much of northern Yemen, have intensified maritime attacks since November 2023 in protest of Israel’s military operations in Gaza. Since then, dozens of vessels deemed to have Israeli affiliations have been hit, with four confirmed sinkings, according to maritime security assessments.

The ongoing disruption in the Red Sea—a vital artery linking Asia and Europe—has forced numerous shipping companies to reroute around the Cape of Good Hope, significantly extending transit times and inflating fuel costs by millions of dollars.

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