Maritime Authority: Two ships attacked northwest of Hodeidah

Two ships were attacked separately on Tuesday, northwest of Hodeidah, in the Red Sea (western Yemen).

The UK Maritime Trade Operations ( UKMTO ) said it had received a report of an incident 97 nautical miles northwest of Hodeidah, Yemen, where a ship was attacked by a missile and damaged.

She added that all crew members are fine.

UKMTO WARNING - INCIDENT 125 - ATTACK UPDATE 001 https://t.co/ye4ZO0L5nC …… #MaritimeSecurity #MarSec pic.twitter.com/cpREPPCMhM

— United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) (@UK_MTO) October 1, 2024

Earlier, the UK Maritime Authority said that a ship's captain reported an incident 64 nautical miles northwest of Hodeidah, and reported that four incidents had been observed near it and that all crew members were safe and that it was heading to the next port of call.

The authority returned in another update and said that the ship collided with a drone-borne explosive boat, which led to a hole in the ballast tank.

UKMTO WARNING - INCIDENT 124 - ATTACK UPDATE 003 https://t.co/ZgjRM6rsdX #MaritimeSecurity #MarSec pic.twitter.com/KU5ifcuoKJ

— United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) (@UK_MTO) October 1, 2024

Since last November, the Iran-backed Houthi militia has been launching drone and missile attacks on cargo ships sailing in the Red Sea, Bab al-Mandab and the Gulf of Aden off the coast of Yemen, claiming that this is in support of Gaza, which has been subjected to a devastating Israeli war since October 7. These attacks have negatively affected shipping, trade and global supply chains.

As a result, the United States formed a military coalition led by it, and since the beginning of this year, it has been carrying out strikes alongside Britain that it says target the Houthis’ military capabilities, in response to their attacks on cargo ships, which the Houthis responded to with attacks on American and British naval ships, considering them “military targets.”