A missile fired from Yemen hit a merchant ship, British maritime security company Ambrey said on Thursday, after Houthi rebels claimed responsibility for the attack on a US vessel.
“According to our information, a merchant ship was targeted by a “missile” while it was crossing […] off the coast of Aden, Yemen,” Ambrey said, adding that “the ship reported an explosion” on board.
“Ambrey learned that this missile had been fired […] from Taizz”, a province in southern Yemen, adds the firm.
Earlier on Wednesday, Iran-backed Houthi rebels claimed to have fired missiles at a US ship, which they identified as the “Kol”, which they said was en route to an Israeli port.
Yahya Saree, the rebel spokesperson, said on social media that the missiles “directly hit the ship” in the Gulf of Aden.
Houthi rebels, who control large swaths of Yemeni territory, have carried out more than 35 attacks on ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden since November 19, according to the Pentagon, disrupting maritime traffic in this essential area for world trade.
These insurgents close to Iran say they want to prevent ships linked to Israel from sailing off the coast of Yemen, “in solidarity” with the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, who have been in the grip of the war between Israel and Hamas since October 7.
These attacks have prompted some shipping companies to avoid the Red Sea and the Suez Canal, through which around 12% of world trade normally passes, by bypassing Africa.
The United States, Israel’s main ally, deployed warships to the Red Sea and carried out several strikes in January against rebel positions, sometimes jointly with the United Kingdom.
On Wednesday, US forces claimed to have destroyed a missile belonging to the Houthi rebels, which was ready to be fired and “presented an imminent threat to US aircraft”, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said.