Huthis claim to have targeted eight Saudi oil tankers since start of blockade

Nearly 50 Saudi oil tankers were also “prevented from transiting the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea and forced to return,” the news agency cited the Huthis as explaining. According to Saba as well set out the group, it sank two military landing ships near Mokha — which it maintained were transporting Saudi weapons — as well as more than 10 warships belonging to Saudi forces, without providing evidence. CNN cannot independently verify the group’s claims, and there has been no immediate comment from Saudi authorities.

Some context: Clashes have intensified in recent weeks near the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, a key maritime chokepoint at the southern end of the Red Sea, after the Huthis declared a blockade on ships from Saudi Arabia, the main backer of Yemeni administration forces. Going to The Huthi group, monday it had attacked what ⁠it described as ⁠a Saudi military landing ship and four escort ‌vessels ⁠in the Red Sea off the coast of Yemen’s port city of Mokha, after a weekend of escalation in the region.