Houthis say they attacked Saudi vessels off Yemen’s Mocha
Houthi rebels in Yemen claimed to have attacked Saudi military vessels in the Red Sea using missiles. While the Houthis assert the strike was a response to a naval blockade, there has been no official confirmation from Saudi authorities regarding the incident.
Why it matters
The Red Sea is a vital global shipping chokepoint; continued instability here threatens international trade routes and regional security.
Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis attacked what they described as a Saudi military ship and four escort vessels in the Red Sea with missiles, according to the group’s military spokesperson Yahya Saree on Telegram on Monday (August 17, 2026).
There was no immediate confirmation from Saudi authorities.
Mocha is a Red Sea port near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a strategic chokepoint connecting the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and an important international shipping route.
Last Tuesday, the Houthis attacked a ship in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait at the southern entrance to the Red Sea, Houthi-run news agency Saba reported. Yemen's Transport Ministry said four crew members were killed in the attack.
The Houthis imposed a naval blockade in July against Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea in response to what they described as a Saudi siege on Yemen, an allegation Riyadh has denied.
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