Houthis claim missile strike on Saudi vessel in Red Sea

Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi movement said on 17 August 2026 that its forces had launched a missile attack on a Saudi ship and four escort vessels in the Red Sea.

Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree stated that the group was closely monitoring Saudi military movements in Yemen and would target Saudi forces on land and at sea. The claim comes amid an escalating conflict near one of the world’s busiest maritime trade routes.

Saudi authorities did not immediately respond. Yemen’s internationally recognized government, which receives Saudi military and financial support, said the targeted vessel was a commercial ship that had been out of service since the previous year.

The Houthis have in recent weeks fired on Saudi-linked vessels and declared a maritime blockade against the kingdom following deadly clashes with Saudi-backed forces in Yemen. The United Nations has previously warned that Houthi attacks have killed civilians.

The Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab Strait remain critical arteries for global shipping. Continued Houthi activity adds to existing disruptions already caused by the broader US-Iran conflict in the Strait of Hormuz.