AMIR KHAN—a Yemeni-owned civilian vessel docked at Al Ardi Port near Bab al Mandeb—was struck on Aug. 17, suffering severe damage to the ship and berth but causing no casualties.
The Houthis instead said they hit five Saudi-coalition naval vessels near Mocha Port with ballistic missiles, claiming to have sunk one landing craft and four patrol boats.
Yemeni sources said no coalition vessels were struck, indicating the claim was meant to portray the attack as a military success rather than a hit on civilian shipping.
That messaging appears aimed at deterring the Saudi-led maritime defense coalition formed in July 2026 to protect Red Sea trade from Houthi and Iranian threats.
The incident fits the Houthis' broader campaign to pressure Saudi Arabia by threatening shipping around the Bab al Mandeb Strait and Red Sea ports.