The British maritime security company Ambrey reported on Sunday that a cargo ship flying the Belize flag, registered in the United Kingdom, and managed by Lebanon, was attacked in the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait. According to a memo from Ambrey, the ship was heading north from Khor Fakkan in the UAE to Varna in Bulgaria when the attack occurred, as reported by Reuters.
The memo stated, “The partially loaded ship briefly slowed down from ten to six knots and veered off its course. It contacted the Djibouti navy before returning to its original course and speed.” The British Maritime Trade Operations authority announced that it received a report of the incident occurring 35 nautical miles south of Yemen’s Al Mukha port, resulting in an explosion near the ship and subsequent damage. The authority confirmed in a memo that all crew members are safe.
In a statement, the authority mentioned that the matter is under investigation and advised ships passing through the area to exercise caution and report any suspicious activity. Earlier, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stressed the need for significantly increasing humanitarian aid to Gaza and welcomed efforts to restore stability in the Red Sea.
A statement from the British government mentioned that during a phone call, both parties expressed deep concern about civilian casualties in Gaza. Sunak briefed the European official on his recent talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and King Abdullah II of Jordan regarding the situation in Gaza, as reported by the “Arab World News” agency.
Both sides emphasized the importance of freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and condemned Houthi attacks on commercial ships in the area, according to the British statement. Houthi attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden have increased since November in response to the Israeli war in Gaza, prompting many shipping companies to avoid this crucial maritime trade area.
Since January, the Houthis have targeted British and American ships in retaliation for strikes carried out by the United States and the United Kingdom against their positions. On Sunday, the United States Central Command announced it had carried out five strikes on Houthi targets, including a submarine, a drone boat, and three cruise missiles in Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen.
The United States Central Command stated that this was the first time the Houthis had used a drone submarine since these attacks began on October 23rd. The American command added that the targeted strikes represented an “imminent threat” to US naval and commercial ships in the region.
