Houthis target ship in Red Sea again, UK agency says crew safe in attack

A British maritime agency said on Thursday that a ship was struck and damaged by an “unknown projectile” in the Red Sea, following months of attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels. Authorities said there was a series of suspected attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels targeting the ship.

Run by the British navy, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations said, “The master of the vessel reports being hit by unknown projectile and the vessel has sustained damage, no fires or casualties reported."

The ship was not immediately identified. It reported two more explosions nearby as it came under attack 70 nautical miles southwest of Hodeida, which is held by the Iran-backed Huthis, UKMTO said.

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“The crew are reported safe. Vessels are advised to transit with caution and report any suspicious activity,” the agency said.

The attack comes as the rebels continue to threaten ships moving through the Red Sea, a waterway that once saw $1 trillion in goods move through it a year, over the ongoing conflicts in the Mideast stemming from the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip.

At least two more projectiles later fell in the waters around the vessel. The rebels did not immediately claim the attack. However, it can take them hours or even days to acknowledge their assaults.

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Dubbed by the West as part of the “axis of resistance” of Iran-linked groups, the Houthis have targeted ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden since November in what they describe as support for Palestinians during the Israel-Hamas war. More than 80 merchant vessels have come under the attack from Houthi missiles and drones.

They have seized one vessel and sank two in the campaign that has also killed four sailors in the past one year. Other missiles and drones have either been intercepted by a US-led coalition in the Red Sea or failed to reach their targets, which have included Western military vessels as well.

The attacks have seriously disrupted the vital trade route and triggered reprisal strikes by the United States and Britain against rebel targets in Yemen.

The rebels maintain that they target ships linked to Israel, the US or the UK to force an end to Israel’s campaign against Hamas in Gaza. However, many of the ships attacked have little or no connection to the conflict, including some bound for Iran.

(With agency inputs)