Suspected attack by Yemen's Houthi rebels targets ship in Red Sea

Dubai: A suspected attack by Yemen's Houthi rebels targeted a commercial ship late on Sunday night travelling through the southern reaches of the Red Sea, though it caused no damage nor injuries, authorities said.

The attack comes as the rebels continue their monthslong assault targeting shipping through a waterway that typically sees USD 1 trillion in goods pass through it a year over the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza and Israel's ground offensive in Lebanon.

A ship's captain saw that "a missile splashed in close proximity to the vessel" as it travelled near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden, the British military's United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations centre said in an alert. The attack happened some 48 kilometres west of Yemen port city of Mocha.

"The vessel and crew are safe and proceeding to its next port of call," the UKMTO added.

The Houthis did not immediately claim the attack. However, it can take the rebels hours or even days to acknowledge their assaults.

The Houthis have targeted more than 90 merchant vessels with missiles and drones since the war in Gaza started in October 2023. They seized one vessel and sank two in the campaign, which also killed four sailors. Other missiles and drones have either been intercepted by a US-led coalition in the Red Sea or failed to reach their targets, which have included Western military vessels as well.

The rebels maintain that they target ships linked to Israel, the US or the UK to force an end to Israel's campaign against Hamas in Gaza. However, many of the ships attacked have little or no connection to the conflict, including some bound for Iran.

The Houthis have shot down multiple American MQ-9 Reaper drones as well.

In the rebels' last attack on November 11, two US Navy warships targeted with multiple drones and missiles as they were travelling through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, but the attacks were not successful. (AP) SZM