Merchant vessel attacked by missiles off Yemen coast

ADEN: A merchant vessel has reported a missile attack approximately 130 nautical miles east of Aden, Yemen, said the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) on Friday.

The vessel reported coming under missile fire approximately 130 nautical miles from Aden, said the UKMTO in a statement posted on social media platform X.

The maritime agency further mentioned receiving an initial report of a missile incident in the area, followed by a more detailed update from the vessel's Company Security Officer (CSO), Xinhua news agency reported.

According to the CSO, two missiles exploded near the ship. The nature and origin of these missiles remain unclear at this time. The ship's master confirmed that all crew members are safe following the incident, and the vessel is proceeding to its next scheduled port of call.

This attack occurred amid rising tensions in the region, particularly in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, where Houthi rebels from Yemen have been targeting commercial ships in recent months.

While no group has yet claimed responsibility for the latest incident, it bears similarities to previous Houthi attacks on maritime traffic, according to Yemeni officials.

The Houthi-launched maritime attacks are part of a series of assaults by Houthi forces on ships in the Red Sea. The group claims these actions are in solidarity with Palestinians amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.

In response to the Houthi maritime attacks, the US-led naval coalition operating in the region has stepped up strikes against Houthi military sites. However, this has only spurred the tit-for-tat exchanges, with the Houthis vowing to continue targeting vessels they claim are linked to Israel.