DUBAI: A commercial vessel was attacked twice by drone strikes off the coast of Yemen on Saturday but proceeded with its journey despite sustaining damage, the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported.
According to UKMTO, the incidents occurred approximately 64 nautical miles northwest of Mokha, Yemen, close to the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, a critical waterway for global shipping.
The first attack involved an uncrewed aerial system that detonated near the vessel, causing limited damage. Shortly after, an uncrewed surface vessel deployed another explosive device in proximity to the ship. Fortunately, both attacks resulted only in minor damages, and the crew aboard remained unharmed.
Meanwhile, UKMTO noted an additional missile sighting in the vicinity of the vessel, although it appeared to have missed its target, posing no further threat.
Yemen’s Houthi rebels have been increasingly active in the region, launching several drone and missile strikes mainly targeting vessels linked to Israel since November. They say these actions are in solidarity with Palestinians amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
The Houthis have been linked to at least 88 attacks on commercial ships over the past nine months, as documented by the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.
Recently, the rebels targeted a Singapore-flagged container ship, triggering a fire that was later contained by the crew.
These persistent attacks have compelled some shipping companies to reroute their vessels away from the Red Sea, opting for longer paths around southern Africa instead. The Red Sea route normally handles approximately 12 percent of global trade.
Egypt’s Suez Canal on Thursday reported a notable 23.4-percent decline in annual revenues, attributing the drop to disturbances affecting shipping in the Red Sea region.
