UAE aircraft destroy two Houthi 'attack craft' in Yemen
UAE aircraft destroy two Houthi 'attack craft' in Yemen
Emirati fighter jets destroyed two Houthi boats that were allegedly aimed at an oil tanker on Wednesday, UAE state media have claimed.
2 min read
UAE fighter jets have allegedly hit Houthi boats [Getty]
UAE fighters jets destroyed two Houthi boats off the coast of Yemen on Wednesday, moments before they were about to launch an attack on an oil tanker in the Red Sea, Saudi and Emirati media have reported.
Four boats were ready to attack the tanker on Wednesday morning when two were destroyed by the UAE military, forcing the other two craft to flee, Emirati state news agency WAM claimed.
"UAE Armed Forces, as part of the Arab Coalition Forces, today morning destroyed two boats of the Iranian-backed Houthi militias in international waters, who were threatening one of the commercial oil tankers in the Red Sea, while two other boats managed to escape," WAM said.
It added that the Houthis have used explosive-rigged boats to attack merchant shipping in the Red Sea from the port of Hodeida, the agency claimed.
The Houthi-controlled port has been effectively under blockade by the Saudi-led coalition, causing severe food shortages in the country.
On 3 April, the Houthis launched a "revenge attack" on a oil tanker in the Red Sea, following an air strike on what the rebels said was a refugee camp.
Yemen has suffered around 10,000 deaths, mostly civilian, since Saudi-led coalition forces launched air strikes on Houthi-led forces in March 2015.
Yemen's internationally-recognised government fled Sanaa in 2014, following a Houthi-led takeover of the capital and are now based in the southern city in Aden.
Four boats were ready to attack the tanker on Wednesday morning when two were destroyed by the UAE military, forcing the other two craft to flee, Emirati state news agency WAM claimed.
"UAE Armed Forces, as part of the Arab Coalition Forces, today morning destroyed two boats of the Iranian-backed Houthi militias in international waters, who were threatening one of the commercial oil tankers in the Red Sea, while two other boats managed to escape," WAM said.
It added that the Houthis have used explosive-rigged boats to attack merchant shipping in the Red Sea from the port of Hodeida, the agency claimed.
The Houthi-controlled port has been effectively under blockade by the Saudi-led coalition, causing severe food shortages in the country.
On 3 April, the Houthis launched a "revenge attack" on a oil tanker in the Red Sea, following an air strike on what the rebels said was a refugee camp.
Yemen has suffered around 10,000 deaths, mostly civilian, since Saudi-led coalition forces launched air strikes on Houthi-led forces in March 2015.
Yemen's internationally-recognised government fled Sanaa in 2014, following a Houthi-led takeover of the capital and are now based in the southern city in Aden.
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