Houthis Claim Attack on Saudi Military Landing Craft

A spokesperson for Houthi forces claimed on Monday that the organization launched ballistic missiles at a Saudi military landing craft and four escorting boats off the coast of Al-Mukha in the Red Sea. According to the Houthis, the attack hit the vessels and caused some of them to sink. At this stage, there is no independent verification of these claims.

The report follows an increase in Houthi attacks in the Al-Mukha area in recent days. On August 14, six ballistic missiles were launched at the port, resulting in at least four deaths according to the Yemeni government. This escalation coincides with an expansion of Houthi threats against Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea. If the strike on the Saudi vessels is confirmed, it may signal a shift from threatening ships associated with Saudi Arabia passing through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait to a direct attempt to disrupt Saudi efforts to transport forces and supplies along the western coast of Yemen.

As a reminder, on August 7, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan signed a joint defense agreement in Mecca, stipulating that an armed attack on one of the three countries would be considered an attack on all of them. As Saudi Arabia faces repeated Houthi attacks, the agreement is facing its first test, though there has been no overt activation of a joint defense mechanism by Turkey or Pakistan to date.