In a series of incidents off the coast of Yemen, two ships have been targeted in missile attacks, according to British maritime security firm Ambrey. This development comes amidst a campaign by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels against ships they claim are linked to Israel, coinciding with the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

Ambrey reported that one vessel was targeted southwest of Mukalla, a port city in Yemen, although it did not confirm if the ship was actually hit. This marks the second attack reported by Ambrey within a short timeframe.

Earlier, Ambrey reported a projectile falling near a ship southwest of Aden, another Yemeni port. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations confirmed that a missile impacted the water close to the ship but noted that no damage was reported to the vessel, and the crew is safe.

These incidents follow closely after two missiles targeted a ship southwest of Hodeidah, another Yemeni port city, as reported by UKMTO and Ambrey. One missile was intercepted, and the other missed its target, according to UKMTO.

Houthi rebels have been actively targeting shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden since November, citing solidarity with Palestinians during the Gaza war as the motive behind their actions. The United States and other coalition forces have responded to these attacks, with the US launching repeated strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen since mid-January.

In a recent televised speech, Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi stated that their attacks had resulted in casualties, with 37 people killed and 30 wounded in over 400 strikes by US and British forces since January. He also pledged to continue targeting Red Sea shipping, claiming 34 attacks in the past month alone.

Sources By Agencies