By CNBCTV18.com — August 12, 2026
Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi movement said it attacked a Saudi vessel carrying military equipment in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, Reuters reported, citing the Houthi-run Saba news agency. Saudi authorities had not immediately confirmed the reported strike or provided details about the ship.
The claim comes after the Houthis announced a naval blockade on Saudi-linked shipping in the Red Sea on July 20, saying the move was in response to what they described as a Saudi-imposed siege on Yemen. Riyadh has denied imposing any such siege.
Since declaring the blockade, the group has claimed responsibility for several attacks on Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea, raising concerns about the safety of commercial traffic through the Bab el-Mandeb. The strait links the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and normally handles roughly 12% of global trade by value, including about a quarter of global container traffic.
During the Gaza war, Houthi forces previously struck more than 100 vessels, although many of those ships appeared to have little or no direct connection to Israel. Large-scale fighting between the Houthis and the Saudi-led coalition had largely eased following a 2022 truce, but recent incidents signal renewed tensions affecting one of the world’s busiest maritime corridors.