Saudi-led coalition destroys 2 Houthi vessels: Reports

By Ahmed al-Masri

SANAA (AA) - A Saudi-led air coalition has destroyed two ships belonging to the Shia Houthi militia group in the Red Sea, Saudi Arabia’s Al Arabiya news channel reported Thursday.

The two boats had reportedly set out Wednesday from the Yemeni port of Almakha west of Taiz towards international waters in the southern Red Sea.

Al-Arabiya quoted a coalition official as saying that the alleged move by the Houthis had "posed a threat to maritime activity in the region".

"The two vessels, which were equipped with radar and weapons, were attacked by a coalition helicopter on Wednesday," according to a coalition statement.

It went on to assert that, before they were destroyed, one of the two boats had fired a "thermal missile".

The coalition did not elaborate further.

Yemen has been wracked by chaos since late 2014, when the Houthis and their allies overran capital Sanaa and other parts of the country.

The conflict escalated in March of last year when Saudi Arabia and its Sunni-Muslim allies launched a massive military campaign aimed at reversing Houthi gains and supporting Yemen’s Saudi-backed government.