ADEN: Yemen’s Houthi group on Sunday said they targeted three vessels off the country’s coast with missiles and drones.
Later maritime security firms confirmed that the two ships had caught fire after being hit by the projectiles.
The strikes are the latest in a series of attacks by the group which have been targeting ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden since November in a campaign to show solidarity with Palestinians amid the conflict in Gaza.
The group in a statement on social media platform X, said they targeted two ships belonging to companies that violated their directives not to enter Israeli ports.
Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree identified the ships as the Liberia-flagged MSC Tavvishi and the Norderney, which sails the Antigua and Barbuda flag.
Saree said the group also targeted the HMS Diamond, a British naval warship, but the UK has not confirmed the attack.
The announcement by the Houthis came after maritime security firm Ambrey said an Antigua and Barbuda-flagged cargo ship caught fire after being struck by a projectile off Yemen on Saturday night.
Ambrey in a statement said the ship was heading southwest along the Gulf of Aden at a speed of 8.2kts when the forward station was hit by a missile, causing a fire that was neutralized.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), said an unknown projectile hit a ship off Yemen around 2000 GMT on Saturday, causing a small fire that was extinguished.
It added that all crew members were safe and the ship was now proceeding to its next port of call.
In a separate incident on Saturday night, the UKMTO said another missile hit a ship resulting in a fire however, there were no casualties. It said the ships are advised to transit with caution in the Red Sea.
The attacks by Houthis have prompted some shipping companies to change their route and avoid the Red Sea.
Since January, the United States and Britain have carried out retaliatory strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen in response to the attacks.
