Houthis claim attack on Saudi tanker after explosion off Yemen

DPAUpdated Wed, August 5, 2026 at 5:18 PM UTC1 min readAdd Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google.Key takeawaysPowered by Yahoo Scout. Yahoo is using AI to generate key points from this article. This means the info may not always match what’s in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience.

• Houthi militia claims responsibility for attack on Saudi oil tanker in Gulf of Aden, UKMTO reports explosion near vessel.
• Ship's captain reports loud explosion near tanker off coast of Yemen, all crew members safe and unharmed.
• Fears arise over potential closure of vital Bab al-Mandab Strait due to recent Houthi attacks on Saudi tankers in Red Sea.

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The Houthi militia in Yemen on Wednesday claimed another attack on a Saudi oil tanker in the Gulf of Aden, with military spokesman Yahya Saree saying on Telegram that the ship was hit and forced to turn back.

The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) had previously reported an explosion near a tanker off the coast of Yemen. The ship's captain reported a loud explosion in the immediate vicinity of the vessel south-east of the port city of Aden, according to UKMTO.

All crew members were safe and unharmed, the agency said. There are currently no indications of environmental damage. Relevant authorities were investigating.

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It was not initially possible to verify the Houthi claim. Saudi Arabia has not yet commented on the incident.

The Iran-aligned Houthi militia in Yemen has recently claimed responsibility for multiple attacks on Saudi tankers in the Red Sea.

Fears have arisen that the vital Bab al-Mandab Strait could effectively be closed due to these attacks.

The strait lies on the shortest maritime route between Asia and Europe, connecting the Indian Ocean, the Red Sea, and the Suez Canal. Under normal circumstances, approximately 10% of global maritime trade passes through the Bab al-Mandab, which means "Gate of Tears." The Houthis had already severely disrupted global trade with attacks in the region starting in 2023.