Yemen’s Houthi rebel forces have announced that they carried out a missile attack on a Saudi oil tanker in the Red Sea region.
In America’s war against Iran, Yemen’s Houthi rebel forces have entered the fray in support of Iranian forces. As a result, a tense atmosphere prevails among the countries bordering the Gulf and the Red Sea.
The Houthis control the Bab al-Mandab strait, the gateway to the Red Sea region, which is a transit route for 12 percent of the world’s trade. In this war, attacks have been carried out on ships belonging to opponents that passed through that route.
In this context, Houthi spokesperson Yahya Saree announced today (Aug. 5) that they had carried out a missile attack on an oil tanker owned by Saudi Arabia, a U.S.-backed country.
In addition, the Houthis said they had attacked 8 Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea region and blocked the routes of 29 oil tankers, forcing them to turn back.
Earlier, Yemen’s Houthis imposed a ban on Saudi Arabia’s ships passing through the Red Sea region starting last July.
Houthi forces have been carrying out a barrage of attacks on Saudi ships that tried to pass through that route despite the blockade. It is noteworthy that this has raised fears of a war breaking out between the Saudi government and the Houthis.