The Saudi-led coalition fighting Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen has claimed there was an attempt on January 6th to attack a tanker in the Red Sea, using drone vessels packed with explosives.
Coalition spokesman Colonel Turki Al Malki said that “Houthi-Iranian militias are using the Hodeidah port not only for smuggling advanced weaponry, but also as a launch pad for attacks on international ships”, adding that “in a blatant violation of international law, the Iranian-Houthi militia on Saturday (January 6th) attempted an attack by three remote-controlled drone boats, targeting a Saudi oil tanker and threatening to disrupt navigation in Bab Al Mandeb strait.”
Al Malki said that coalition forces had destroyed the drones before they reached the tanker. The vessel’s name was not disclosed.