Ship attacked in Red Sea in latest maritime assault carried out by Yemen’s Houthi rebels

A ship traveling through the Red Sea on Thursday reported being hit in an attack carried out by Yemen’s Houthi rebels, authorities said, the latest in the campaign targeting shipping over the Israel-Hamas war.

The ship issued a radio call off the coast of the rebel-held port city of Hodeida saying it had been struck, the private security firm Ambrey first reported. A warship in the area was responding to the attack, Ambrey said.

The British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center later also confirmed the attack.

“The nature of the attack is reported as a waterborne improvised explosive device,” the UKMTO said. “The vessel and crew are reported as safe and the vessel is proceeding to their next port of call.”

The UKMTO did not elaborate, but Houthi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree in a prerecorded message released Thursday night said the rebels used a drone boat in the attack on the vessel. He identified the ship as the Seajoy, a Malta-flagged bulk carrier.

The rebels have targeted more than 60 vessels by firing missiles and drones in their campaign that has killed a total of four sailors. They seized one vessel and sank two since November. A U.S.-led airstrike campaign has targeted the Houthis since January, with a series of strikes on May 30 killing at least 16 people and wounding 42 others, the rebels say.
Source: AP