US cargo ship hit by missile off the coast of Yemen

The UK's maritime watchdog said a US cargo ship was hit by a missile off the coast of Aden, Yemen, but has not released further information.

The UK Maritime Trade Organisation (UKMTO), run by the British Navy, announced today that a cargo ship was hit by a missile while traveling approximately 177 km southeast of the Yemeni city of Aden.

"The captain reported that the missile came from above and struck the port side of the ship," UKMTO said, but did not release the vessel's name. The agency said it is investigating the incident and advised cargo ships in the area to exercise caution.

The cargo ship Gibraltar Eagle docked in Belgium in July 2023. Photo: Fleetmon

The UK-based maritime security consultancy Ambrey said the missile's target was a bulk carrier owned by a US company, flying the Marshall Islands flag, and not affiliated with Israel. The attack caused a fire in the ship's cargo hold, but resulted in no casualties, and the vessel remained seaworthy.

British officials believe this was an attack targeting US interests in the region, in retaliation for the airstrike campaign conducted by Washington and London against Houthi forces in Yemen in recent days.

The Central Command (CENTCOM), the unit in charge of U.S. military operations in the Middle East, said the cargo ship MV Gibraltar Eagle was hit by an anti-ship ballistic missile fired by Houthi forces.

Houthi representatives have not yet commented on the incident.

The Houthi rebels control large swathes of Yemeni territory, including the capital Sanaa. They intensified their attacks on cargo ships transiting the Red Sea after fighting erupted in the Gaza Strip in early October 2023, aiming to pressure Israel to halt its campaign against Hamas, a Houthi ally in the anti-Tel Aviv resistance movement in the Middle East.

Location of the Gulf of Aden and the city of the same name in Yemen. Graphic: Wikipedia

Houthi spokesman Mohammed Abdulsalam declared today that attacks "aimed at preventing Israeli ships and cargo vessels from reaching ports in the occupied Palestinian territories" will continue, despite last week's US and British airstrikes.

Vu Anh (According to Reuters, Sky News )

Source link: https://vnexpress.net/tau-hang-my-trung-ten-lua-ngoai-khoi-yemen-4701144.html