SANAA, Aug. 5 (Xinhua) -- Yemen's Houthi group said on Wednesday that it had launched a ballistic missile attack on a Saudi oil tanker in the northern Red Sea, as the group vowed to expand its campaign against Saudi-linked shipping.
In a televised statement aired by the Houthi-run al-Masirah TV, Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea said the tanker "Wafa" was targeted with ballistic missiles off the coast of Yanbu, a major Saudi Red Sea port city.
"The strike was precise," Sarea said, without providing details on possible damage or casualties. He said the operation was part of the group's declared maritime campaign against Saudi-linked shipping, which he described as a "blockade-for-blockade" response.
Sarea said the latest attack brought the number of Saudi oil tankers targeted by Houthi forces since the campaign began to eight, while 29 other tankers had been forced to turn back. The claims could not be independently verified.
There was no immediate comment from Saudi authorities.
The latest claim comes amid rising tensions between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia. The group announced a maritime ban on Saudi-linked shipping in July, citing what it called a Saudi blockade on Houthi-controlled areas.
The renewed hostilities have raised concerns over security in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a key global shipping route. ■
