Daijiworld Media Network - Sanaa
Sanaa, Aug 12: Yemen's Houthi group has claimed it targeted a Saudi military equipment transport ship in the strategic Bab al-Mandab Strait, besides launching attacks on Saudi-backed forces in the government-held areas of Mocha and Marib.
In a statement posted on X on Tuesday, the Houthis' military media centre said its forces carried out an operation targeting “a Saudi military equipment transport ship” in Bab al-Mandab. The group did not identify the vessel or provide further details.
In a separate statement on X, Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea said “a large number of ballistic missiles and drones” were used to target troop gatherings, weapons depots and command centres in Mocha, a coastal city in southwestern Taiz province, and at Tadawin military camp in northeastern Marib province.
Sarea claimed the strikes were “precise” and resulted in dozens of casualties, including Saudi personnel. There was no immediate confirmation of the reported casualties from Saudi Arabia or the Yemeni government, reports Xinhua news agency.
Meanwhile, pro-government Coast Guard troops said the commercial vessel Tihamah came under repeated missile attacks while sailing through Bab al-Mandab earlier Tuesday, leaving six people dead and 10 others wounded.
Four of those killed were crew members — three Pakistanis and one Indonesian — while the other two were members of the pro-government 2nd Naval Forces Brigade, according to an updated Coast Guard statement.
Seven other crew members, two Coast Guard personnel and one member of the 2nd Naval Forces Brigade were wounded and are undergoing medical treatment.
The Coast Guard said its troops, along with rescue teams from government forces, evacuated the casualties after the missile strikes triggered a fire aboard the vessel and caused significant damage.
The Bab al-Mandab Strait, which connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden, is one of the world's key maritime chokepoints and a vital route for international trade and energy shipments.