DUBAI, May 23 (Xinhua) -- The United Arab Emirates' (UAE) army, as part of the Saudi-led Arab coalition forces, on Wednesday destroyed two boats of the Iranian-backed Houthi militias in "international waters" in the Red Sea.

According to UAE state news agency WAM, the two boats were threatening one of the commercial oil tankers in the Red Sea before they were hit by the UAE's army, while two other boats managed to escape.

"The Houthi militias have repeatedly attacked business ships and threatened commercial shipping and global trade routes in the Red Sea starting from the Hodeidah port, which is still under their control," said the report.

WAM added that the Houthis were carrying out these "terrorist acts," in despair as a result of their successive losses in the Red Sea coast.

The Saudi-led Arab coalition has been fighting the Shiite Houthi rebels since March 2015 to support the internationally-recognized government led by President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi.

The Saudi-led coalition accuses Iran of arming the Houthis, who have fired scores of ballistic missiles on Saudi troops and cities since the outbreak of hostilities.