The Houthis have reportedly expanded their campaign against vessels linked to Saudi Arabia after targeting the tanker Daisy in the Gulf of Aden, marking the second claimed attack on a Saudi-associated tanker within 24 hours.
According to the Yemeni Armed Forces, the group launched a ballistic missile at the Saudi-linked tanker, claiming the strike forced the vessel to reverse course before reaching the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
However, maritime security reports present a different account of the incident. The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said a loud explosion occurred near the vessel while it was sailing approximately 95 nautical miles southeast of Aden at around 14:30 UTC on 5 August. The agency did not confirm that the tanker had been directly hit.
Additional information from maritime security company Vanguard Tech indicates that the vessel’s master reported an explosion roughly 40 metres off the port side, generating a shockwave that was felt onboard. Despite the blast, the tanker was not damaged, and all crew members were reported safe.
The vessel involved is believed to be the 7,281-deadweight-ton Daisy, a tanker built in 2009 and sailing under the Dominican Republic flag. Based on its latest AIS position and data from Pole Star Global’s PurpleTRAC platform, the ship is owned and operated by Bihar International, a company based in Saudi Arabia.
The incident follows another Houthi claim made just one day earlier involving the tanker NCC Wafa, which the group said it had targeted off the coast of Yanbu on Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea shoreline.
When announcing the attack on NCC Wafa, the Yemeni Armed Forces also claimed that, since launching their blockade on 20 July, they had prevented 29 Saudi tankers from transiting the Red Sea toward the Arabian Sea.
The Houthis said they successfully attacked the Daisy, but so far, maritime security agencies have only confirmed an explosion near the vessel. The latest incident nevertheless underscores the growing security risks facing commercial shipping in the Gulf of Aden and around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, one of the world’s most strategically important maritime corridors.
