In a recent advisory, the British Maritime Trade Operations (BMTO) reported a concerning incident involving a commercial ship off the coast of Yemen, near Salif.
The ship’s captain reported that their vessel was struck by two unidentified projectiles approximately 70 nautical miles northwest of Salif.
A third explosion occurred close to the ship, further heightening tensions in the region.
The BMTO has reassured that the situation is under close evaluation and, fortunately, there have been no injuries reported aboard the vessel, which is now heading towards its next port of call.
This incident occurred amid ongoing hostilities in the region, with the Houthi group—backed by Iran and controlling Yemen’s most densely populated areas—conducting several attacks on maritime vessels in solidarity with Palestinians facing severe Israeli military actions in Gaza.
The Houthi-launched maritime attacks are part of a series of assaults by Houthi forces on ships in the Red Sea.
These actions are in solidarity with Palestinians amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
In response to the Houthi maritime attacks, the U.S.-led naval coalition operating in the region has stepped up strikes on Houthi military sites.
However, this has only spurred the tit-for-tat exchanges, with the Houthis vowing to continue targeting vessels they claim are linked to Israel.
The death toll in Gaza has surged to 40,738 as a result of ongoing Israeli airstrikes, according to a statement released by the Palestinian Ministry of Health on Sunday. Since the escalation of violence on October 7, more than 94,154 people have been injured.
The Ministry’s statement highlighted the devastating impact of the conflict, noting that Israeli forces committed three massacres against families in Gaza within the past 24 hours alone. These attacks resulted in 47 deaths and 94 injuries, with victims being brought to hospitals amidst the chaos.
