The British Navy said Sunday that a cargo ship was attacked in the Red Sea off the coast of Yemen.
“A cargo ship has issued a distress alert stating that they have been attacked by unknown armed assailants. Authorities are investigating,” UK Maritime Trade Operations said in a report.
The incident was reported 30 nautical miles (55.6 kilometers) south-west of the city of Hodeida, which is under the control of Iran-backed Houthi rebels.
UKMTO said a boat approached the bulk carrier and opened fire, prompting the ship’s security guards to return fire. The boat then headed back to a larger ship about 2 nautical miles away.
Who was responsible for the latest Red Sea ship attack?
No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.
The Houthis began attacking cargo ships in the Red Sea in 2023 in response to the Israeli offensive in Gaza. The Israeli offensive into Gaza began following terrorist attacks by Hamas on 7 October that year.
Houthi attacks disrupted traffic in one of the world’s busiest international shipping routes, with companies rerouting their ships around Africa to avoid the pact.
The Houthis vowed to resume their attacks against ships in 2026 after the US and Israel declared war on Iran, the group’s primary international backer.
In addition to the Houthis, Somali pirates have also recently become active in the nearby Gulf of Aden.
Edited by: Wesley Dockery
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