Houthis escalate Red Sea attacks: Ballistic missile strikes Saudi military ship, four escort boats
Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi group on Monday claimed it had launched 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.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.The latest claims come amid an 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.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.
