ADEN, Yemen, Aug. 31 — Yemeni government forces said Monday they had intercepted four explosive-laden boats operated by the Houthi group as they attempted to approach government-held islands near international shipping lanes in the Red Sea.
The state-run Saba news agency, citing a military source, reported that the boats attempted to approach the strategic Hanish Islands and Zuqar Island before being intercepted by government naval forces.
The source said further movements of Houthi boats were detected at different times on Sunday and Monday as they attempted to approach the islands, which overlook key international shipping routes in the southern Red Sea.
The Houthis have yet to comment on the reported incidents. On Sunday, Yemen’s government said that its forces had destroyed a remotely operated Houthi explosive boat before it could attack ships in the Red Sea. Fighting between government forces and the Houthis has intensified across several fronts in recent weeks.
The government forces stepped up drone and artillery strikes on Houthi positions, while the group launched missile and drone attacks on government-held areas in Marib and along the western Red Sea coast.
Yemen has been mired in conflict since late 2014, when the Houthis seized Sanaa and much of northern Yemen, prompting a Saudi-led coalition to intervene the following year in support of the internationally recognized Yemeni government. (Namibia Daily News / Xinhua)
