A commercial vessel navigating the Red Sea on Friday reported two missile explosions in the water near its location as it sailed near Yemen, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO). The incident caused no damage or injuries.
The UKMTO received a report from the vessel, stating that an explosion was heard and a missile was sighted approximately seven kilometers from the ship’s position, 111 kilometers from the Yemeni city of Aden. The vessel reported a second explosion and missile sighting shortly after, this time less than one kilometer away. Despite the proximity of the explosions, the ship continued to its next port of call without any reported damage or injuries.
UKMTO mentioned that “coalition forces” were “responding” but provided no further details.
According to Reuters, citing the British maritime security firm Ambrey, the targeted ship is a Panama-flagged, India-affiliated oil products tanker.
These missile attacks occurred following a week in which Britain and the United States conducted strikes targeting Iran-backed Houthi rebel sites in Yemen. The U.S. military stated that the attacks hit radar installations, missile launch sites, and notably, an underground weapons storage facility. The strikes were in response to Houthi attacks on commercial and military vessels in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
On Thursday, Britain and the US jointly announced sanctions on four senior Houthi officials, involving the freezing and blocking of any or all financial assets under the control of US citizens.
