Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said the boat was attacked near the island, close to the Bab el-Mandeb strait, a key global shipping route, Reuters reported. Yemen’s Houthi rebels on Thursday said they were trying to rescue 14 Indians aboard a boat that came under attack near Jabal Zuqar island in the Red Sea.
External affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said around 3,000 stranded Indian pilgrims had returned to India on available flights over the previous week. More than 10,000 other pilgrims had also returned during the same period. The escalating conflict has unsettled energy markets, with Brent crude futures rising to $111.88 a barrel on Thursday after touching $112.55 earlier in the session, their highest level since May 18.
Two people were killed, including one Indian national, and eight were injured, including two Indians, HT reported earlier. Houthi spokesperson Saree said the group launched attacks on Aramco facilities in the Red Sea city of Yanbu and the Saudi defence ministry in Riyadh. Saudi authorities have not confirmed the claims.
He blamed Saudi Arabia for the attack. This comes amid fresh Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia. The reason for the evacuation remains unclear. This follows a series of Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, targeting energy infrastructure and airports. It also expressed condolences to the family of the Indian national killed in Dammam and wished those injured a speedy recovery. The Indian embassy in Riyadh is in touch with Saudi authorities and providing assistance to affected Indian nationals. India is also working with airlines and tour operators to facilitate the return of pilgrims stranded in Saudi Arabia after Indian carriers suspended flights amid the escalation in hostilities. He added that Indian missions in Riyadh and Jeddah, with the support of community volunteers, were providing assistance to the pilgrims.
“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 oilfield in the Eastern Province on October 21,” the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement. The ministry described the attacks as “completely unacceptable” and called for them to stop immediately. “Arrangements are being discussed to facilitate the return of other Umrah pilgrims at the earliest,” Jaiswal said.
Saudi state oil giant Aramco has asked employees to evacuate its headquarters in Dhahran and work remotely, six people familiar with the matter told Reuters on Thursday. The Saudi-led coalition said it intercepted drones over Riyadh and Medina on Thursday. India on Thursday condemned the continued attacks on civilian and energy infrastructure in Saudi Arabia and expressed solidarity with the kingdom.
Saudi Arabia’s benchmark stock index fell 2.5% on Thursday following reports of the evacuation at Aramco’s headquarters, according to LSEG data. The renewed fighting between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis has ended a United Nations-brokered truce that largely halted cross-border attacks in 2022.
