(Dubai) The Houthi rebels claimed responsibility for a series of shots at sea overnight, including that of a projectile which struck near a Greek commercial ship off the coast of Yemen without causing any damage, according to a maritime agency. British and the American army.
An explosion occurred on Monday in the Red Sea in the “immediate vicinity” of the ship 54 nautical miles northwest of the southern Yemeni town of Mokha, the British Maritime Safety Agency (UKTMO) reported, specifying that the “Ship and crew are safe and sound”.
Ambrey, another maritime security agency, said “it was likely” that a Maltese-flagged container ship was targeted while en route from Djibouti to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
“The ship was reportedly targeted by three missiles,” Ambrey said. It was targeted because of its records showing that its operator had done business with Israel, according to the agency.
The Houthi rebels claimed responsibility for firing on the “Cyclades” ships, MSC Orion and two American ships.
According to the US Middle East Command (CENTCOM), the MV Cyclades is a Maltese-flagged Greek commercial vessel that was targeted by three anti-ship ballistic missile attacks and three drones.
“The ship continued on its way,” CENTCOM told X, adding that it shot down a Houthi drone that was flying between two American warships in the Red Sea and confirming that all of the ships targeted by the Houthis had suffered no damage.
The Houthis, who control the capital Sanaa and a good part of Yemen’s west coast on the Red Sea, claim to be acting in solidarity with the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, where a war pits the Islamist movement Hamas against Israel.
On Sunday, U.S. Central Command said on X that its forces had shot down five drones in the Red Sea that posed “an imminent threat to U.S., coalition, and merchant ships in the region.”
Faced with the attacks, the United States, support of Israel, set up a multinational maritime protection force in the Red Sea.