AL-MOKHA, Yemen: A Houthi Saudi naval attack involving ballistic missiles allegedly hit a Saudi military landing ship and escort vessels off Yemen’s Red Sea coast, the group said.
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said the landing vessel caught fire after what he called direct hits. He also claimed that several accompanying patrol boats sank or were damaged.
Saudi authorities had not confirmed the Houthi account at the time of the reports. Independent verification of the claimed naval losses was also unavailable.
Saree separately said Houthi drones targeted a weapons depot at the Sahn al-Jin camp in Yemen’s Marib province. He described the maritime strike as part of the group’s campaign against Saudi shipping.
Read: Najran Houthi Attack Injures 11 Civilians in Saudi Arabia
A conflicting report from Al-Masdar Online said Houthi missiles instead struck a civilian vessel undergoing maintenance near Bab el-Mandeb. The report said the ship was empty and its crew had already evacuated.
Read: Pakistan Condemns Houthi Threats to Saudi Shipping
Al-Mokha lies near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a strategic route linking the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden. The area has faced renewed missile and drone attacks in recent weeks.
