SANAA/ADEN, Yemen - Yemen's Houthi group said Wednesday it had targeted a Saudi oil tanker with a ballistic missile in the Gulf of Aden, several hours after claiming a separate missile attack on another Saudi tanker in the northern Red Sea.

In a statement posted on social media platform X, Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea said the tanker, identified as Daisy, was hit by a ballistic missile and "forced to turn back“.

Sarea said the attack was part of the group's declared maritime blockade against Saudi Arabia under a "blockade-for-blockade" policy.

He said Houthi forces are closely monitoring Saudi oil tankers and will block their passage through the southern and northern Red Sea until what they call a blockade on Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen is lifted.

Meanwhile, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations said a tanker reported hearing a loud explosion nearby while sailing in the Gulf of Aden off Yemen's southern coast on Wednesday, adding that all crew were safe.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations said on social media platform X that the incident occurred about 95 nautical miles southeast of Aden.

"The Master of a tanker reported hearing a loud explosion in close proximity to the vessel," it said, adding that all crew are safe.

Residents in Mukayras, a Houthi-controlled area in central Yemen's al-Bayda province, told Xinhua they have received information indicating the Houthis had launched a missile from the area toward the Gulf of Aden.

It remains unclear whether the two incidents were connected, and the Houthis have not immediately claimed responsibility.

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Earlier in the day, the Houthis said they had targeted the Saudi oil tanker Wafa with several ballistic missiles off the Saudi port city of Yanbu in the northern Red Sea. Sarea called the strike "precise", without providing further details.

There was no immediate comment from Saudi authorities on either claim, which could not be independently verified.

The latest claims come amid escalating tensions between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia. On July 20, the Houthis announced a maritime ban on Saudi-linked shipping in the Red Sea, citing an alleged Saudi blockade on Houthi-held areas.

The group has also claimed multiple attacks on Saudi-linked vessels, energy sites and airports, while the Saudi-led coalition has resumed limited airstrikes on key Houthi military targets in Yemen.

Yemen has been mired in conflict since late 2014, when the Houthis seized much of northern Yemen, including the capital Sanaa, prompting a Saudi-led coalition to intervene in 2015 in support of the internationally recognized government.