DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Late Sunday night, a suspected assault by Yemen’s Houthi rebels was reported against a commercial vessel navigating the southern region of the Red Sea. Fortunately, the incident resulted in no damage or injuries, according to authorities.

This incident marks another chapter in the Houthis’ extended campaign against maritime traffic in a crucial waterway that sees annual goods worth around $1 trillion transit, a situation exacerbated by the ongoing conflict in Gaza and Israel’s military actions in Lebanon.

As the vessel approached the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which links the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden, the ship’s captain observed a missile land in close proximity. This information was relayed through an alert from the UK Maritime Trade Operations center, which noted the attack took place approximately 30 miles (48 kilometers) west of the Yemeni port city of Mocha.

Following the incident, the UKMTO confirmed that the vessel and its crew were unharmed and were continuing to their next destination.

Although the Houthis did not claim responsibility for this particular attack immediately, it is not unusual for the group to take hours, or even days, to confirm such actions. Since the onset of the Gaza conflict in October 2023, the Houthis have reportedly targeted over 90 merchant ships using missiles and drones. Their campaign has led to the capture of one vessel, the sinking of two others, and the deaths of four sailors. Fortunately, other attacks have been intercepted by the U.S.-led coalition operating in the Red Sea, and many missiles and drones have missed their intended targets, which also included Western military ships.

The Houthis assert that their strikes are aimed at vessels linked to Israel, the United States, or the United Kingdom, intending to pressure these nations to halt Israel’s actions against Hamas in Gaza. Nevertheless, many of the ships assaulted have minimal or no ties to the ongoing conflict, with some even heading towards Iran.

Additionally, the rebels have successfully shot down several MQ-9 Reaper drones that belong to American forces.

In their most recent incident on November 11, the Houthis attempted to target two U.S. Navy warships with a series of drones and missiles while they were passing through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait; however, these attacks ultimately failed.