A ship was hit by a missile off the coast of Yemen, the British Maritime Safety Agency (UKMTO) said on Monday, the day after a cruise missile was fired by the Houthis towards a US destroyer in the south of the Red Sea.
The ship “was hit from above by a missile” southeast of the Yemeni city of Aden, UKMTO reported, without specifying the ship’s origin or ownership.
Yemen’s Houthi rebels, close to Iran, have in recent weeks increased attacks in the Red Sea against ships they suspect of being linked to Israel, claiming to act in solidarity with the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
According to the British maritime risk company Ambrey, the ship hit off the coast of Aden is an American bulk carrier, flying the flag of the Marshall Islands, which was heading towards the Suez Canal.
The ship is not linked to Israel, Ambrey affirmed, estimating that it was targeted because of its affiliation, “in response to American military strikes against Houthi positions in Yemen”.
In response to the increase in Houthi attacks in the Red Sea, American and British forces carried out raids on Friday against these rebels in Yemen, who carried out new attacks despite these strikes.
On Sunday, the US military announced it had shot down a cruise missile targeting a US destroyer operating in the southern Red Sea.
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