Sanaa hit by explosions as tanker attacked in Strait of Hormuz

Powerful explosions rocked Sanaa, the Houthi-controlled capital of Yemen, on Thursday night. The SABA news agency, which is affiliated with the Houthi movement, reported the incident as a ‘Saudi attack’ targeting Sanaa and several other cities across various Yemeni provinces.

Simultaneously, a tanker was struck by an ‘unknown projectile’ while transiting the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most critical oil shipping lanes. The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) confirmed the strike, which resulted in a fire on board the vessel.

These escalations occur amid heightened regional tensions. While the connection between the explosions in Yemen and the maritime incident has not been established, both events follow a period of renewed large-scale hostilities in Yemen that began in July. The conflict involves the Houthi movement, which controls much of the north and the Red Sea coast, and the internationally recognized government supported by Saudi Arabia.