London, United Kingdom, August 24 (ANI): A tanker caught fire after being struck by an unidentified projectile off the Red Sea coast of Saudi Arabia on Monday, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO).
The incident occurred about 63 nautical miles west of Yanbu, one of Saudi Arabia’s key oil ports on the Red Sea.
UKMTO, a British maritime security agency, said the vessel’s crew was safe and accounted for, with no reports of environmental impact.
The port has assumed heightened strategic importance as vessels seek alternative routes to the Strait of Hormuz amid ongoing disruptions in the vital maritime passage.
Security concerns surrounding shipping corridors in the Red Sea have also intensified. Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi group has threatened Saudi-affiliated vessels and previously claimed attacks on facilities operated by Saudi oil giant Aramco in Yanbu, including an alleged strike in July.
The latest development follows a series of recent strikes in the region.
On Aug. 17, the Houthi group said it had launched a ballistic missile attack targeting a Saudi military landing ship and four escort vessels in the Red Sea, off the southwestern port city of Mocha.
Describing the operation, Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said the attack was carried out using multiple ballistic missiles and described the strikes as “direct and precise.”
He claimed the landing vessel caught fire, while some escort vessels sank and others were set ablaze.
In a separate statement, Saree said Houthi forces had targeted a military weapons depot at the Sahn al-Jin camp in Yemen’s northeastern Marib province using several drones, claiming the strike caused a fire at the site.
Mocha, a government-held port city near the strategic Bab al-Mandab Strait, connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and lies close to a major global maritime chokepoint.
Repeated Houthi attacks in and around the city since Aug. 9 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. (ANI)
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