Officials suspect Yemen rebels in Red Sea ship attack

A ship in the Red Sea was reportedly attacked on Monday by Yemen’s Houthi rebels, according to authorities. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center confirmed that two projectiles struck the vessel, with a third explosion occurring nearby. The British military’s center mentioned that the ship is currently undergoing damage control, although there have been no reported casualties, and the vessel is en route to its next port of call.
The attack has not been claimed by the Houthis at this time. Typically, the rebels may take hours or even days to acknowledge their involvement in such assaults. Since the beginning of the conflict in October, the Houthis have targeted over 80 ships using missiles and drones. They have also seized one vessel and caused the sinking of two others, resulting in the loss of four sailors. Some missiles and drones have been intercepted by a United States-led coalition in the Red Sea, while others failed to reach their intended targets.
The rebels claim that they target ships associated with Israel, the U.S., or the U.K. in an effort to end Israel’s operations against Hamas in Gaza. However, a number of the attacked ships have little to no connection to the ongoing conflict, including those heading towards Iran.