Yemen’s Houthi rebels have claimed responsibility for a fresh ballistic missile strike on a Saudi oil tanker in the Gulf of Aden, intensifying their maritime campaign against Saudi-linked vessels.

In a statement released on Telegram, the group asserted that the tanker “Daisy” was successfully targeted and forced to change course. The Houthis described the operation as having achieved its objective, declaring that the vessel was hit and compelled to turn back.

The rebels framed the strike as part of their wider maritime blockade against Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea, particularly through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. They warned that they would continue targeting Saudi oil vessels until their demands were met, invoking the principle of “blockade for blockade”.

The statement emphasised that Houthi forces were closely monitoring all Saudi oil tanker movements and would not permit passage through either the northern or southern Red Sea until conditions were fulfilled.

The claim followed another announcement by the Houthis a day earlier, when they reported striking the Saudi oil tanker “Wafaa” off the coast of Yanbu in the northern Red Sea. Houthi spokesperson Yahya Saree declared that the strike was “accurate, by the grace of Allah.”

Saree further claimed that the Wafaa attack brought the total number of Saudi oil ships targeted since the beginning of their maritime campaign on 22 July to eight. He also alleged that 29 Saudi oil vessels had been prevented from continuing their routes or forced to turn back in the Red Sea and Arabian Sea.

Meanwhile, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported two separate maritime incidents on 5 August. In one case, a tanker master reported hearing a loud explosion 95 nautical miles southeast of Aden, Yemen.

The crew was confirmed safe, with no environmental impact, and authorities launched an investigation. In another delayed report, UKMTO said a tanker master transiting the Strait of Hormuz near Kumzar, Oman, reported hearing two explosions. The vessel and crew were unharmed, and no environmental damage was recorded.

The escalation highlights the Houthis’ determination to enforce their blockade and disrupt Saudi oil shipments across critical maritime corridors. The Gulf of Aden and Bab el-Mandeb Strait remain strategically vital routes for global energy supplies, and the continuation of such attacks threatens to exacerbate instability in international shipping lanes.

Analysts note that the Houthis’ campaign is increasingly coordinated, with ballistic missile strikes now complementing earlier drone and naval operations, raising the risk of further disruption to global oil markets.

ANI