Houthis Claim Attack on Vessel in Gulf of Aden

The Houthis in Yemen announced this evening (Wednesday) that their forces attacked a Saudi oil transport vessel in the Gulf of Aden. At this stage, no confirmation of the claim has been received from Saudi Arabia, and no official details have been published regarding the identity of the tanker, the extent of the damage caused, or the means by which the attack was allegedly carried out, according to the Reuters news agency.

The Houthi announcement was published hours after the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported a maritime incident about 95 nautical miles — approximately 176 kilometers — southeast of Aden, Yemen. According to the British report, the captain of a tanker in the area reported hearing a powerful explosion near the vessel. All crew members were accounted for and are safe and sound.

At this stage, it has not been reported whether damage was caused to the tanker, and authorities are investigating the circumstances of the incident. Furthermore, it is not yet clear whether the incident reported by UKMTO is the same attack for which the Houthis claimed responsibility, or if these are two separate events. The lack of Saudi confirmation and the gap in information do not allow for independent verification of the Houthi statement at this stage. The identity of the owners and operators of the reported tanker has also not been revealed.

The incident adds to the growing tension in the shipping lanes near Yemen. The Houthis have announced in recent times that they intend to expand their operations against Saudi tankers as part of the maritime campaign they have declared. Earlier, they even claimed to have attacked a Saudi tanker off the port of Yanbu in the northern Red Sea, but their various claims also require independent examination and verification.