Yemeni rebels suspected in missile strike near commercial ship in Red Sea

May 24, 2024 by No Comments

A missile attacked the waters of the Red Sea on Thursday, but caused no damage to a passing commercial vessel in an unexpected assault executed by Yemen’s Houthi rebels, officials said.

The Houthis did not immediately claim the attack, though it can take hours or even days for them to acknowledge their attacks.

The attack took place in the southern Red Sea near the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait, the British military’s Maritime Trade Operations center said.

The private security firm Ambrey reported the attack in a similar manner.

The Houthis have attacked shipping in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden in recent months, demanding an end to the war in Gaza, which has killed more than 35,000 Palestinians there. The war began after Hamas-led militants attacked Israel on Oct. 7, killing about 1,200 people and taking some 250 hostage.

The Houthis have launched more than 50 attacks on shipping, seized one vessel and sunk another since November, according to the Maritime Administration.

Shipping through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden has declined because of the threat. In recent weeks, the tempo of Houthi attacks has dropped, though the rebels have claimed shooting down U.S. surveillance drones.