A suspected assault by Yemen’s Houthi insurgents witnessed an explosion near a ship in the Gulf of Aden on Sunday, potentially indicating their latest strike on maritime traffic through the crucial Red Sea access point.
According to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center, the ship’s crew observed the blast as it traversed the coast of Aden, a strategic port city in southern Yemen.
“No harm to the vessel has been reported, and the crew is confirmed safe,” stated UKMTO.
The Houthis have recurrently launched drone and missile attacks in the area, disrupting energy and cargo movements across the Gulf of Aden.
While the rebels have yet to claim responsibility for the attack, it is typical for them to acknowledge their assaults several hours later.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Central Command disclosed conducting strikes targeting the Houthis, including the destruction of multiple drone boats and a drone in Yemeni territory on Saturday.
Additionally, one Houthi drone was intercepted over the Red Sea, with another presumed to have crashed, causing no damage or injuries to nearby ships, Central Command reported.
The Houthis have been targeting ships since November, purportedly aiming to pressure Israel into ending its offensive in Gaza. However, the vessels attacked have had minimal or no connection to the involved nations.
These assaults have increased the Houthis’ prominence, especially with recent claims suggesting they possess hypersonic missiles, posing a potential threat to regional security.
Earlier in March, a Houthi missile struck a commercial vessel in the Gulf of Aden, resulting in casualties and marking the rebels’ first fatal attack on shipping.
