Houthis claim Saudi attacked boat carrying 14 Indian nationals
What's the story
Yemen's Houthi rebels have alleged that a boat with 14 Indian nationals was attacked by Saudi Arabia near Zuqar Island in the Red Sea. The rebels claimed that the Yemeni armed forces rescued the Indians from the scene. They called this incident a "reckless act" by the "Saudi enemy" and warned it could threaten international navigation in the Red Sea.
Houthis
'International community must stop Saudi enemy from these reckless actions'
"The Saudi enemy is targeting an Indian yacht near Zuqar Island, carrying 14 people of Indian nationality according to preliminary information," Brigadier Yahya Saree, the military spokesman for the Houthi-aligned Yemeni Armed Forces, posted on X.
"This reckless act by the Saudi enemy in targeting it threatens international navigation in the Red Sea, and the international community must stop the Saudi enemy from these reckless actions," Saree posted on X.
Diplomatic response
Attack on airport in Saudi Arabia
The incident comes after an attack on King Fahd International Airport in the eastern city of Dammam, Saudi Arabia, late Wednesday night killed two people, including an Indian national. The incident also left eight others injured, the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) said in a statement.
The GACA did not say what type of attack occurred, but the Houthis have repeatedly targeted the kingdom's airports with drones and missiles these past few months.
Security concerns
22 killed in attacks on Saudi airports this monthÂ
At least 22 people have been killed in attacks on Saudi airports this month alone, according to an AFP tally of official figures.
The attacks follow the collapse of a years-long truce in Yemen's civil war, where the Iran-backed group is fighting the government supported by a Saudi-led coalition.
They have since started attacking Saudi ships and oil facilities and called airline personnel, travelers, and energy workers to avoid specific areas.