DUBAI, UAE: A missile fell near a ship southwest of the Yemeni port city of Aden, reported maritime security firms on Sunday, marking the second such incident within a 24-hour period.
Although the attack was not immediately claimed, it aligns with a campaign by Yemen’s Houthis targeting ships they allege are linked to Israel amid the ongoing Gaza conflict.
The UK Maritime Trade Operations, a British security agency, confirmed that a “missile impacted the water in close proximity” to the ship.
No damage to the vessel was reported, and the crew was confirmed to be safe, according to the agency.
Additionally, security firm Ambrey reported a “projectile” hitting the water near the ship, advising vessels in the vicinity to “exercise caution”.
This latest attack follows closely after two missiles targeted another ship southwest of the Yemeni port city of Hodeidah, as reported by both the UK Maritime Trade Operations and Ambrey.
While one missile was intercepted by US-led coalition forces, the second missile missed its target, according to the UK Maritime Trade Operations.
The Houthi have carried out numerous missile and drone strikes on shipping in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden since November, citing solidarity with Palestinians during the Gaza conflict as the rationale behind their actions.
Although most of these attacks have been conducted using drones or missiles, a notable incident occurred in November when helicopter-borne Houthis seized the vehicle-transporter Galaxy Leader along with its crew.
In response to these escalating threats, the United States, leading a multinational flotilla aimed at protecting Red Sea shipping, has conducted repeated attacks on Houthi targets in Yemen since mid-January.
British warplanes have also participated in several of these strikes.
During a televised speech on Thursday, Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi claimed that 37 individuals had lost their lives in over 400 strikes by the US and Britain on Yemen since January.
While the specifics of the casualties remain unclear, the Houthi leader vowed to persist with strikes on Red Sea shipping, asserting that his fighters had carried out 34 attacks over the past month alone.
