Houthis claim rescue of 14 Indians after Saudi attack on Red Sea yacht
Synopsis
Fourteen Indian nationals were reportedly on a yacht near Zuqar Island in the Red Sea when Saudi Arabia allegedly struck it — and the Houthis claim they rode to the rescue. This dramatic claim comes just one day after an Indian national was killed and two others injured in an attack on Dammam's King Fahd International Airport, forcing India's MEA to issue a rare condemnation of strikes on Saudi soil.
Key Takeaways
Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree claimed on 22 October that Saudi Arabia attacked an Indian yacht carrying 14 Indian nationals near Zuqar Island in the southern Red Sea.
The Houthis said their forces were actively rescuing the individuals; no independent verification was immediately available.
One Indian national was killed and two others injured in an attack on King Fahd International Airport in Dammam on 21 October , confirmed by the Indian Embassy .
India's MEA strongly condemned strikes on Saudi civilian and energy infrastructure, including the Shaybah oil field of Saudi Aramco .
New Delhi expressed solidarity with Saudi Arabia and called on all parties to halt attacks on civilian and critical infrastructure immediately.
Yemen's Houthi forces on Thursday, 22 October 2026 claimed they launched a rescue operation after Saudi Arabia allegedly targeted an Indian yacht carrying 14 Indian nationals near Zuqar Island in the southern Red Sea. Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said the Yemeni Armed Forces were rescuing those on board and would provide more details later.
What Houthis Claimed
In a post on X, Saree stated: 'The Saudi enemy is targeting an Indian yacht near Zuqar Island, carrying 14 people of Indian nationality, according to preliminary information. The Yemeni Armed Forces are rescuing them and will provide more details later. This reckless act by the Saudi enemy in targeting it threatens international navigation in the Red Sea, and the international community must stop the Saudi enemy from these reckless actions.'
The Houthis characterised the alleged strike as a direct threat to international maritime navigation in the strategically critical Red Sea corridor. No independent verification of the claim was immediately available.
Dammam Airport Attack: Indian Casualties
The rescue claim follows a separate and deadly incident a day earlier. The Indian Embassy in Saudi Arabia confirmed on Thursday that one Indian national was among two people killed in an attack on King Fahd International Airport in Dammam on the night of 21 October. Two other Indian nationals were injured in the same strike.
'Saudi authorities have informed that one Indian national was among two people who unfortunately lost their lives in the attack on Dammam airport yesterday night and two Indian nationals were injured. We are ascertaining further details and contacting the affected families. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and loved ones of the deceased and we wish speedy recovery of the injured,' the Embassy said in its own post on X.
India Condemns Attacks on Saudi Infrastructure
India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issued a strong condemnation of the sustained strikes on Saudi civilian and energy infrastructure, specifically naming the attack on King Fahd International Airport in Dammam and Saudi Aramco's Shaybah oil field in the Eastern Province, both of which occurred on 21 October.
'We strongly condemn the continued attacks on civilian and energy infrastructure in Saudi Arabia... These attacks have unfortunately resulted in civilian deaths and injuries,' the MEA statement read. New Delhi also reiterated that 'attacks on civilian and critical infrastructure are completely unacceptable and must cease immediately.'
India further expressed solidarity with Riyadh, stating it stands with 'the people and the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in safeguarding its sovereignty' and expressed hope for an early return to peace and normalcy in the region.
Houthis Allege Saudi Strikes Inside Yemen
The Houthis, for their part, have accused Saudi forces of conducting air and missile strikes across multiple Yemeni provinces during the same week, framing their own actions as retaliatory. The mutual escalation underscores a fresh spike in the long-running Yemen conflict, with the Red Sea increasingly emerging as a flashpoint that now directly endangers civilian shipping and foreign nationals.
What Happens Next
The Indian government has said it is contacting the families of those affected in the Dammam attack and is ascertaining further details. If the Houthi rescue claim regarding the yacht is verified, it would mark a rare direct involvement of Indian nationals in the maritime dimension of the Yemen conflict. With Indian nationals now caught in both the airspace and sea-lane dimensions of this escalation, New Delhi faces mounting pressure to secure safe passage for its citizens in the region.
Point of View
For now, an unverified battlefield assertion from a party with obvious propaganda incentives — it should be treated with caution until New Delhi or Riyadh confirms. What is verified and far more consequential is that Indian nationals are now dying and being injured in the Yemen-Saudi crossfire, on the ground in Dammam and potentially at sea. India's MEA condemnation of attacks on Saudi infrastructure is notably firm, but the more urgent question is what the government is doing in real time to evacuate or protect its citizens in the zone of active conflict. With the Red Sea already disrupted by months of Houthi maritime strikes, this incident signals that Indian nationals in the Gulf arc — workers, seafarers, and travellers — are no longer bystanders to a regional war.
NationPress
22 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did the Houthis claim about the 14 Indian nationals in the Red Sea?
Yemen's Houthi forces claimed on 22 October that Saudi Arabia attacked an Indian yacht carrying 14 Indian nationals near Zuqar Island in the southern Red Sea, and that their armed forces were conducting a rescue operation. The claim, attributed to Houthi spokesperson Yahya Saree, had not been independently verified at the time of reporting.
What happened to Indians in the Dammam airport attack?
One Indian national was killed and two others were injured when King Fahd International Airport in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, was attacked on the night of 21 October. The Indian Embassy in Saudi Arabia confirmed the casualties and said it was contacting the affected families.
How did India respond to the attacks on Saudi Arabia?
India's Ministry of External Affairs issued a strong condemnation, calling the attacks on King Fahd International Airport and Saudi Aramco's Shaybah oil field 'completely unacceptable.' New Delhi also expressed solidarity with Saudi Arabia in safeguarding its sovereignty and called for an immediate halt to strikes on civilian and critical infrastructure.
Why is the Red Sea incident significant for India?
The alleged attack on an Indian-crewed yacht in the Red Sea, if verified, would represent a direct targeting of Indian nationals in the maritime dimension of the Yemen conflict. It comes amid broader Houthi disruption of Red Sea shipping lanes, which has already affected Indian trade and the safety of Indian seafarers in the region.
What is the current state of the Yemen-Saudi conflict?
The Houthis and Saudi Arabia remain engaged in a prolonged armed conflict. The Houthis have accused Saudi forces of conducting air and missile strikes across Yemeni provinces in the same week, while Riyadh and its allies have blamed Houthi forces for escalating attacks on Saudi civilian and energy infrastructure.
