The UK Navy’s Commercial Maritime Operations agency (UKMTO) said in an alert that an attack “consisting of what is believed to be two missiles” caused damage to a vessel about 14 nautical miles (26 kilometers) away. southwest of Al Mukha, Yemen.
According to UKMTO, the ship’s captain also reported a first attack that caused an explosion near the ship that was felt by the crew.
So far, the Houthis have not claimed the action, but in the last two days they have claimed responsibility for several actions against commercial cargo ships in the Red Sea, US warships and also against the city of Eilat, in southern Israel.
The Houthis intensified their actions after several weeks of inactivity and at a time of maximum tension in the Middle East, in the face of an imminent Israeli ground military operation in Rafah, at the southern end of the Gaza Strip, where more than 1.4 million people are displaced. , in addition to the escalation of violence between Israel and Iran.
Yemeni rebels, supported by Iran, have been attacking commercial ships since November 19, in support of the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, to harm Israel with actions that cause serious disturbances in the Red Sea, through which around 15% of maritime trade transits. worldwide.
Despite US and UK bombings against their positions in Yemen to reach their military capacity, the Houthis have warned that they will not stop their attacks until a ceasefire is implemented in the Gaza Strip.
