A commercial ship is at risk of sinking in the Red Sea following an attack by the Houthi group in Yemen.
The British Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported that the vessel, now abandoned by its crew, is drifting towards the coast of Djibouti and taking on water.
The Ukrainian-owned and Polish-operated cargo ship, “Verbena,” was en route to Italy carrying construction materials when it was struck, causing a fire. Initially, a severely injured sailor was evacuated before the entire crew was rescued.
According to a statement from the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), the Houthi group attacked the ship with two cruise missiles last Thursday, resulting in the fire and severe injury to a crew member.
In a separate announcement, CENTCOM revealed that it had destroyed seven Houthi radar systems, a drone, and two unmanned boats.
These radars were used by the Houthis to target maritime vessels, posing a significant threat to commercial navigation.
CENTCOM confirmed the radar systems were located in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen, and the destruction of the drone and boats was part of the same operation.
These US strikes come amid an escalation in Houthi attacks. Since November, the Houthis have repeatedly targeted commercial ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
These attacks have disrupted global shipping routes, caused delays, and increased costs for supply chains. To date, the Houthis have sunk one vessel, seized another, and killed three sailors in separate incidents.
