British cargo ship hit by rocket in Red Sea

A British-owned ship passing through the Red Sea has been hit by a rocket, suspected to have come from Houthi rebels, two maritime security organisations say.

Maritime security firm Ambrey said the unnamed Bahamas-flagged vessel was hit by rocket fire as it was sailing south, about 65 kilometers (40 miles) off the west coast of Yemen.

Commercial ships dock at Hodeidah port, Yemen, in February. Photo: Reuters

The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), run by the Royal Navy, meanwhile said it had received "reports of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) activity, including a possible explosion, originating from the direction of Yemen".

UKMTO advises vessels travelling in the area to "exercise vigilance".

Ambrey said the target ship, which was en route from the United States to Singapore, had passed through the Suez Canal five days ago.

"The cargo ship is believed to have been hit by a rocket and the crew was forced to take shelter," the company said. "Today, several vessels passed by the incident site but no unusual activity was observed."

According to Ambrey, the ownership and management of the attacked ship is linked to Dan David Ungar, a British citizen described as an Israeli resident in major British company directories.

The incident comes amid heightened tensions in the Red Sea and surrounding waters after Iran-backed Houthi rebels last month seized the Israel-linked cargo ship Galaxy Leader.

Within days, two ballistic missiles were also launched from an area controlled by Houthi rebels in Yemen, landing about 12 miles from the US destroyer USS Mason, according to the Pentagon.

The Houthis have carried out a series of drone and missile attacks targeting Israel since the conflict between Hamas and Israel broke out in early October.

Location of Yemen and Israel. Graphic: AFP

Vu Hoang (According to AFP )

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