Houthis Claim Missile Strike on Saudi Naval Vessel
Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi group has claimed a ballistic missile attack on a Saudi military landing ship and four escort boats in the Red Sea off the southwestern port city of Mocha, according to a report by The Times of India. Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said the attack was carried out with several ballistic missiles and described the strikes as 'direct and precise'. He claimed the landing ship caught fire, while some of the accompanying boats sank and others were also set ablaze.
In a separate statement, Saree said Houthi forces had also targeted a weapons depot used by Saudi forces at the Sahn al-Jin camp in Yemen's northeastern Marib province with several drones. He claimed the strike caused a fire at the site.
Drone Shoot-Down Over Hajjah
On Sunday, the Houthi group said it had shot down a Saudi reconnaissance drone over the northwestern province of Hajjah, as reported by Lokmat Times. The Houthi-run Saba news agency, citing a military source within the group, identified the drone as a ScanEagle, saying it was brought down while flying over Hajjah, which borders Saudi Arabia. The source said the Houthi forces shot down the drone using an 'appropriate weapon' without giving further details. Saudi Arabia did not immediately comment on the claim.
Broader Escalation
The latest incidents are part of a broader escalation in Houthi attacks on government-held areas of Yemen and targets linked to Saudi Arabia, a key supporter of the internationally recognised Yemeni government. Mocha, a government-held port city near the strategic Bab al-Mandab Strait, has been at the centre of this escalation. The port connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and is close to one of the world's key maritime chokepoints. Since August 9, repeated Houthi attacks in and around Mocha have reportedly caused casualties and damage to port infrastructure, while disrupting shipping operations.
Last week, the Houthi group said it had carried out two drone attacks targeting an airport and an oil facility in Saudi Arabia's southern region of Najran. Saree said the group launched two drone strikes, one hitting a 'sensitive target' at Najran airport and the other hitting a facility belonging to Saudi state oil giant Aramco. He claimed both attacks 'achieved their objectives' without providing further details. The strikes were carried out in response to what the group described as Saudi drone incursions into the airspace over Yemen's northern province of Saada, a Houthi stronghold bordering Saudi Arabia.
The Houthis have said they are closely monitoring Saudi military movements and will continue targeting Saudi forces on land and at sea. The group has described the campaign as part of its policy of 'siege for siege' against Saudi Arabia.
Maritime Ban and Attacks on Shipping
On July 20, the Houthis announced a maritime ban on Saudi shipping, citing an alleged Saudi blockade of Houthi-held areas. According to Modern Diplomacy, the Houthis cited it as a response to the Saudi-led blockade they've faced for 12 years. Since then, the group has attacked eight Saudi-backed vessels in the Red Sea and directly targeted Saudi Arabia, such as the Jazan refinery and Aramco infrastructure. An Aramco facility in Jazan, one of the kingdom's main energy hubs in the Red Sea, was struck by a drone.
Mokha, a government-held port on the Red Sea, has been struck by ballistic missiles seven times, and the first casualties from a Houthi strike since the US-Iran war erupted in February are now known. Riyadh calls the Houthi attacks an existential threat to its last functioning export route.
Government Forces' Operations
Meanwhile, Yemeni government forces said they had carried out 81 military operations against Houthi positions over the past 24 hours, as fighting between the two sides continues to intensify across several fronts in the war-torn country. Majid al-Nuzaili, spokesperson for the government forces, said the operations targeted Houthi members and positions along multiple frontlines, killing or wounding a number of them, including field commanders. Al-Nuzaili added that the operations were carried out in response to repeated Houthi attacks on government forces and civilian infrastructure.
Strategic Implications
Modern Diplomacy's analysis suggests that the question is no longer whether Saudi Arabia will respond to the Houthi blockade but what kind of response it can sustain. Riyadh has been building Yemeni militia troops for seven months and faces a choice: either accept the possibility of ongoing attacks on its tankers and refineries, or support a ground campaign in Yemen. The analysis notes that Iran is benefiting irrespective of the side, describing the situation as a trap for Saudi Arabia.
Yemen has been mired in conflict since late 2014, when the Houthis seized much of northern Yemen, including the capital Sanaa.