Riyadh/London, July 23 (SANA) A Saudi commercial vessel was targeted while sailing in the Red Sea on Thursday, causing a fire on board, Saudi Arabia’s General Transport Authority said, as Yemen’s Houthi militia later claimed responsibility for targeting two Saudi oil tankers.
The authority said the vessel, identified as “Insilia,” was targeted, but all crew members were safe and no injuries were reported. Saudi officials said emergency measures were taken to secure the ship, protect the crew and limit any potential environmental impact.
The incident came hours after the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said it received a report from the captain of an oil tanker that the vessel had been hit by an unidentified projectile about 70 nautical miles southwest of the Saudi coastal area of Al-Shuqaiq.
The group later said it targeted the Saudi tankers “Insilia” and “Leila” with missiles and drones as part of what it called a maritime blockade against Saudi Arabia.
The Houthis had earlier escalated threats against shipping in the region, announcing what they described as a ban on maritime traffic to and from Saudi ports following renewed clashes with Yemen’s internationally recognized government.
The threats have drawn international condemnation, with governments and maritime organizations warning that attacks on commercial shipping threaten freedom of navigation and global trade routes.
Meanwhile, ship-tracking data showed that at least four oil tankers rerouted in the Red Sea following the Houthi warnings.
Reuters, citing data from the London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG), MarineTraffic and British maritime risk management firm Vanguard, reported that two tankers diverted toward the Suez Canal, while two others sailed into open waters in the Red Sea.
N.J/ABD
