LONDON: British maritime security firm Ambrey reported on Sunday that two ships have been targeted off the coast of Yemen, marking the third such incident reported within a span of 24 hours. The attacks, which have not been claimed by any party, coincide with an ongoing campaign by Yemen’s Houthis against ships they allege are associated with Israel amidst the Gaza conflict.
According to Ambrey, one of the targeted vessels was attacked southwest of Mukalla, a port city in Yemen. This marked the second attack reported by Ambrey on Sunday.
Earlier, the firm stated that a projectile had landed in close proximity to a ship southwest of the Yemeni port of Aden. Fortunately, no damage to the vessel was reported, and the crew members were confirmed to be safe.
The latest incidents occurred shortly after two missiles targeted a ship southwest of Hodeidah, another Yemeni port city. While one missile was intercepted by US-led coalition forces, the second missile narrowly missed its intended target, as confirmed by the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) and Ambrey.
Houthis have been responsible for several missile and drone strikes on shipping vessels in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden since November. They claim these actions are in solidarity with Palestinians amid the ongoing Israeli bombardment in Gaza.
The United States, along with other multinational forces, had initiated measures to protect Red Sea shipping. Since mid-January, the US has conducted multiple strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen, with British warplanes also participating in some of these operations.
In a televised address on Thursday, Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi stated that 37 persons had been killed in over 400 strikes conducted by US and British forces in Yemen since January. He vowed to continue targeting Red Sea shipping, revealing that Houthi fighters had carried out 34 attacks in the past month alone.
