Houthis claim Saudi army targeted the Indian yacht

The Yemeni militant organization Houthis claimed on Thursday that the Saudi forces are targeting an Indian yacht near Yuqar Island near the Yemeni coast in the Red Sea.

Houthi spokesman Yahya Saree noted on X that the yacht is carrying fourteen Indian nationals, and that the Houthi branch of the Yemeni Armed Forces will provide more details later.

"This reckless act by the Saudi enemy threatens international navigation in the Red Sea, and the international community must stop the Saudi enemy from these reckless actions," he concluded.

This follows the death of one Indian national and injuries to two others in an attack on Saudi Arabia's Dammam airport. Additionally, another Indian citizen was injured at the Shaybah oil field. India has strongly condemned the attacks on civilian and energy infrastructure in Saudi Arabia.

In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said, "We strongly condemn the continued attacks on civilian and energy infrastructure in Saudi Arabia, including the attack on King Fahd International Airport in Dammam and Saudi Aramco's Shaybah oil field in the Eastern Province on October 21. These attacks have unfortunately resulted in civilian deaths and injuries."

Meanwhile, Yemen's defense ministry has warned that rallies supporting Houthi rebels in areas under their control could be considered legitimate military targets, raising concerns about civilian safety.

These developments occur amid escalating tensions across the Middle East. Iran's state television reported that seven oil tankers were either damaged or caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz overnight on Thursday, either after being targeted or striking naval mines. If verified, this incident would represent the highest number of vessels damaged in the waterway in a single day since the Iran war began on February 28.