LONDON, England: An Antigua and Barbuda-flagged cargo ship was struck by a missile and caught fire off the coast of Yemen on Saturday night, according to maritime security firm Ambrey.
The vessel was traveling southwest along the Gulf of Aden when the forward station was hit by a missile, igniting a fire that was quickly neutralized. A second missile missed the ship, but small boats in the area opened fire, forcing the ship to change direction. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), managed by Britain’s Royal Navy, confirmed the incident southeast of Aden and stated that an investigation is underway. They advised vessels in the area to proceed with caution.
This attack is part of a broader campaign by Yemen’s Houthi, who have been targeting Israeli-linked shipping with drone and missile strikes. These actions, claimed to be in support of Palestinians, have led some shipping companies to reroute around southern Africa to avoid the Red Sea, which normally handles about 12 percent of global trade.
In response to these attacks, the United States and Britain have conducted retaliatory strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen since January. Despite these efforts, the Houthis remain undeterred, pledging to target US and British vessels as well as ships bound for Israeli ports.
