A commercial ship flying the flag of Palau came under attack by Houthi missiles in the Gulf of Aden off Yemen’s interim southern capital on Thursday, according to a Yemeni naval forces official who spoke to Xinhua.
The official from the pro-government naval forces, speaking anonymously, stated that the ship, MV Verbena, was hit by at least two missile projectiles while transiting the Gulf of Aden. The strike triggered a fire aboard the vessel. The ship subsequently sent out a distress call reporting damage from the missile attack, though no casualties were reported.
The British Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) also received notification of the incident, which occurred around 98 nautical miles east of Aden. “The Company Security Officer reports the merchant vessel has been hit by two unknown projectiles, resulting in a fire onboard,” the UKMTO stated.
The UKMTO advised vessels operating in the area to exercise caution during transit and to report any suspicious activities to authorities. The British maritime agency noted that an investigation into the attack is currently underway.
No immediate statement was issued by the Houthi militant group regarding the missile strike on the commercial vessel.
The incident came a day after the Houthis claimed to have targeted another commercial ship in the Red Sea using a drone boat, drones, and ballistic missiles. The group alleged that the vessel sustained severe damage and was at risk of sinking.
Since November 2023, the Houthis have escalated military operations in the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb Strait, targeting ships they accuse of being Israeli or bound for Israel amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
In response to the Houthi group’s increased naval attacks, the United States and Britain jointly launched a military operation on January 12, conducting airstrikes and missile strikes against Houthi targets in areas under their control in Yemen.
The Houthis have vowed retaliation against the coalition operation and have expanded their targets to include American and British commercial and military vessels navigating the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden regions.
