On Tuesday, it is reported that at least two commercial ships fell victim to drone and missile attacks believed to be orchestrated by the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen. The incident occurred in the Red Sea near the port of Hodeida.
The UK’s Maritime Trade Operations authority received a distress signal from one of the affected ships, reporting an explosion and missile sightings 60 nautical miles from Hodeida.
An earlier alert from UKMTO mentioned another vessel reporting two explosions, with drones spotted approximately 50 nautical miles west of Hodeidah. As of late Tuesday, the Houthis had not claimed responsibility for the attacks.
The Houthis have been known to launch ballistic missiles and drones against both commercial and naval vessels in the Red Sea, primarily as a response to pressure Israel to cease its actions in Gaza. The threats against Israeli-linked vessels prompted major shipping companies, such as Maersk and MSC, to divert their ships away from this critical trade route. The United States is leading a global coalition to safeguard this strategic maritime passage from Houthi attacks.
Simultaneously, the Houthis have reiterated their warning to strike US-led forces or any entity attempting to thwart their targeting of ships bound for Israel. Houthi Defense Minister Mohammed Al-Ateifi declared the militia’s “full combat readiness” to counter any military response, emphasizing their commitment to continue missile and drone assaults in the Red Sea in solidarity with the people of Gaza. Al-Ateifi asserted that the range of their strategic deterrent weapons surpasses expectations, with no perceived limitations.
In a separate incident, Somali pirates seized a vessel carrying 43 Yemeni fishermen off the Somali coastline near Hafun on Sunday. After sailing the captured boat to Somalia, the pirates released 34 of the hostages but retained nine, heading towards international waters. Relatives of the abducted fishermen noted that the victims possessed fishing licenses from Somali authorities, indicating their legal right to operate in those waters.
