The tanker was reportedly forced to turn around after the Iran-backed Houthi movement launched an attack on the ship on Tuesday using a ballistic missile.
“The attack on the Saudi ship was carried out when it ignored warnings,” said a military spokesman for the Islamist group.
A week ago, the Houthi movement claimed that a naval blockade in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait had been initiated, aimed at Saudi Arabia.
