DUBAI: A suspected attack by Yemen’s Houthis targeted a vessel in the Gulf of Aden on Tuesday, the latest by the group on the crucial maritime trade corridor.
British military’s UK Maritime Trade Operations center said the captain of the ship reported an explosion near the ship off the coast of Nishtun, Yemen, close to the country’s border with Oman.
The UKMTO in a warning to mariners said all crew of the ship whose name and flag were not disclosed are safe.
The center said the explosion occurred in the farthest reaches of the waterway earlier targeted by Houthis. However, it did not elaborate on what caused the explosion, though the Houthis have been known to use missiles and drones as well as bomb-carrying drone boats.
The last reported Houthi attack in the area took place on June 28. The Yemeni militia has targeted more than 60 ships by firing missiles and drones in its campaign that has killed a total of four sailors. They seized one ship and sank two in November.
US-led airstrikes have hit Houthi targets since January, with a series of strikes on May 30 killing at least 16 people and injuring 42 others.
The Houthis say they attack vessels that are linked to Israel, the United States or Britain as part of their support for Hamas in its war against Israel in the Gaza Strip.
