DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — On Monday, a vessel navigating the narrow Bab el-Mandeb Strait, located near the Red Sea, experienced an assault believed to have been executed by Yemen’s Houthi rebels, according to officials.
This incident marks the conclusion of an 18-day period during which no attacks linked to the Houthis were reported. For almost a year, these rebels have targeted ships maneuvering through this crucial Red Sea corridor, particularly fueled by the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza. The unrest has significantly disrupted global shipping routes in the area, which previously managed trade worth approximately $1 trillion annually.
The British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center confirmed the attack, stating that a vessel traversing the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, the conduit between the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, reported an explosion occurring near its vicinity. Fortunately, the captain of the ship assured that both the vessel and its crew remained unharmed.
The private security firm Ambrey elaborated on the assault, describing it as involving “two explosions in close proximity.” It further noted that the ship was not broadcasting its location at the time of the incident and was equipped with a private armed security team, a precaution many vessels have opted for in light of the continued Houthi assaults.
As of now, the Houthis have not officially claimed responsibility for the attack. Historically, it has taken them several hours or even days to acknowledge such actions. The latest recorded strike attributed to them was on October 10, targeting a Liberian-flagged chemical tanker named Olympic Spirit. The reasoning behind this recent hiatus in attacks remains unclear, although it is a recurring pattern in the Houthi offensive strategy. Notably, on October 17, U.S. military forces deployed B-2 stealth bombers to target the rebels’ subterranean facilities.
Since the onset of the conflict in Gaza in October, the Houthis have advanced over 90 attacks on merchant vessels using missiles and drones. Their operations have included the seizure of one ship and the sinking of two, resulting in the deaths of four sailors. Meanwhile, various missiles and drones have either been intercepted by a U.S.-led coalition patrolling the Red Sea or have failed to hit their intended targets, which have occasionally included Western military vessels.
The Houthi group asserts that their operations target ships perceived to be linked to Israel, the U.S., or the U.K., aiming to pressure these nations into ceasing Israel’s offensive against Hamas in Gaza. Nonetheless, several of the vessels under attack have minimal or no ties to the ongoing conflict, with some being en route to Iran. Additionally, the Houthis have also managed to down several American MQ-9 Reaper drones during this period.