Houthis claim sinking Saudi military vessel in Red Sea with ballistic missiles

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Yemen's Houthi movement said it struck a Saudi military landing ship and four accompanying boats with ballistic missiles in the Red Sea. Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sari said the attack was carried out off the coast of Al-Mahwa in Yemen and asserted that the vessel was hit directly and burned completely. The group also claimed some of the boats were sunk while the rest were set ablaze. Two sources within the Yemeni government said the Houthis fired six missiles at the ship in the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a key maritime corridor linking the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden. The sources said the vessel had been out of service for more than a year due to maintenance and they believed it was empty at the time of the attack. The Houthis announced they have imposed a naval blockade on Saudi-linked vessels in the area since July 20, 2026. Saudi Arabia has said it is forming a multinational defense coalition to secure maritime traffic through the strait. No further details were immediately available on Saudi confirmation of the attack or any casualties.