Dubai, UAE – Rebels from the Yemeni Ansar Allah movement (the Houthi) have staged a drone attack on a British commercial vessel in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, the Al Hadath television channel reported, citing sources.
According to Al Hadath, the ship with the British crew was flying the British flag. According to the sources quoted by the channel, US and Israeli warships repelled the attack. The TV channel did not say however when the attack was staged.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said earlier that it had received information about increased drone activity and, presumably, an explosion in Ban el-Mandeb Strait.
Yemen’s Houthi movement said on Sunday targeted two Israeli ships with an armed drone and a naval missile, a spokesperson for the group’s military said.
The spokesperson said the two ships, Unity Explorer and Number Nine, were targeted after they rejected warnings from the group’s navy, the Reuters news agency reported.
British maritime security company Ambrey reported that a bulk carrier ship was struck by at least two drones while navigating the Red Sea. In a separate incident, another container ship sustained damage from a drone attack approximately 101 kilometers (63 miles) northwest of the northern Yemeni port of Hodeida, according to Ambrey.
The Pentagon acknowledged the events, confirming that a US warship and multiple commercial vessels encountered attacks in the Red Sea. This series of incidents potentially signifies a significant escalation in maritime assaults since the beginning of the Israel-Hamas war on October 7.
“We are aware of reports regarding attacks on the USS Carney and commercial vessels in the Red Sea and will provide information as it becomes available,” stated the Pentagon.