The British Navy has reported that a commercial ship was targeted by a missile in the Gulf of Aden, just hours after a small explosion was detected near the same vessel, an incident attributed to the Houthi militia in Yemen.
The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), a division of the Royal Navy, confirmed the missile attack, stating that the ship’s security officer reported the incident. Fortunately, no fires, water ingress, or oil spills were detected on the vessel.
The incident occurred on Saturday at 17:57 GMT, approximately 125 nautical miles east of the Yemeni coastal city of Aden. Earlier in the day, at 13:30 GMT, the same ship experienced a minor explosion about 170 nautical miles east of Aden.
UKMTO indicated that this was the first attempted attack by the Houthis since the Israeli Air Force bombed the port of Hodeidah on July 20.
The Gulf of Aden, situated off the Yemeni coast, is a critical maritime route connecting the Arabian Sea with the Red Sea.
The Houthi militia has been attacking ships in the Red Sea for months, claiming these actions are in response to Israeli attacks on Gaza following a Hamas offensive on October 7.
In response to these maritime threats, the United States and the United Kingdom have conducted several military strikes against Houthi positions in Yemen.
Additionally, the European Union launched a military operation to protect commercial shipping in the Red Sea.
On July 20, Houthi rebels accused Israel of carrying out airstrikes on the Yemeni coastal city of Hodeidah, an attack confirmed by Israeli authorities.
