Key facts
- Yemen's Houthis claimed to have fired ballistic missiles at a Saudi oil tanker in the Red Sea.
- The Houthi military spokesperson stated the vessel breached a blockade and ignored warnings.
- The UK Maritime Trade Operations reported an explosion in the southern Red Sea.
- The crew and vessel involved in the UKMTO report were safe.
Yemen's Houthi group announced on July 28 that they had fired ballistic missiles at a Saudi oil tanker in the Red Sea. The group's military spokesperson, Yahya Saree, stated that the vessel had violated a newly declared maritime blockade and ignored warning calls, forcing it to alter its course.
Separately, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported on Tuesday that the master of a tanker had heard an explosion while transiting the southern Red Sea. UKMTO confirmed that the crew and vessel were safe and that no environmental damage had occurred. It remains unverified whether this incident is directly related to the Houthi claim.