The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said on March 17 that a ship operating off the southern coast of Yemen reported an explosion in the nearby area, but did not cause any casualties or damage.
 |
| Scene of the explosion seen from afar. (Source: Nova.news) |
The explosion occurred while the ship was moving about 150 km east of the Yemeni port city of Aden. No party has yet admitted causing the incident.
However, the explosion occurred in the context of the Houthi movement in Yemen claiming to attack Israeli-linked ships in the Red Sea in protest against Israel's conflict in Gaza.
In a related development, the US military's Central Command (CENTCOM) announced on March 16 that its forces had destroyed five unmanned surface vessels and one drone in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen.
Since late 2023, the Houthis have carried out numerous attacks on ships operating in the Red Sea in a show of solidarity with the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip conflict. The Houthis' moves have caused a serious crisis for one of the world's most important shipping routes.
The armed movement in Yemen seems to want to go further when Major General Mohammad Nasser al-Atefi declared that attacks on commercial and military ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden “will certainly lead to geopolitical changes and a new world order”.
“We are now imposing new rules of engagement. This will cost the US and the UK dearly,” Aljazeera quoted a senior Houthi military official as saying on March 17.
(according to Nova news)
Source
Comment (0)