UK Maritime Authority Confirms Explosion Near Tanker in Aden Gulf

British maritime monitoring services issued an alert on Wednesday after a loud explosion was heard near a commercial tanker navigating the waters southeast of Aden. The incident occurred about 95 nautical miles from the Yemeni port, and the ship's master reported that all crew members were safe.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) released the notice on a public platform, emphasizing that no injuries were reported and that the vessel continued its voyage after the blast. The alert coincided with claims from Yemen's Houthi rebels that they had launched a ballistic missile at a Saudi oil tanker in the same gulf.

According to the Houthi spokesperson, the missile struck a tanker identified as "Daisy," forcing it to turn back. The group said the attack was part of its broader naval blockade against Saudi Arabia, a policy the rebels describe as a reciprocal response to the Saudi-imposed maritime restrictions on Houthi‑controlled territories.

Local witnesses from the Houthi‑controlled Mukayras area confirmed receiving information about a missile launch aimed at the Aden Gulf, though they stopped short of linking the two separate reports. The overlapping claims illustrate the volatile security climate in the Red Sea corridor, where commercial shipping faces heightened risk amid ongoing regional disputes.