A merchant vessel was struck by two rockets on Monday near the rebel-held Hodeida governorate in Yemen, according to a British maritime security organization. The crew was unharmed and the damage was being evaluated.
As part of a campaign that began in November and is purportedly motivated by solidarity with Palestinian ally Hamas during the Gaza conflict, Yemen’s Huthis, who are backed by Iran, have been attacking ships they believe are connected to Israel. No claim of credit has been made for the alleged attack.
According to the British Royal Navy’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency, a ship reported being “hit by two unknown projectiles” and then “a third explosion occurred nearby.”
The incident occurred 70 nautical miles northwest of the port of Al-Salif in Yemen’s rebel-held Hodeida.
“Damage control is underway,” UKMTO said, reporting that “are no casualties onboard and the vessel is proceeding to its next port of call”.
The Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, regions essential to international trade, have seen a disruption in maritime activity as a result of the Huthi attacks.
Since January, the United States and Britain have targeted Huthi targets in Yemen, but the strikes haven’t had much of an impact on the rebels.
