A ship was hit by a drone in the Gulf of Aden off Yemen, Britain's Maritime Safety Agency (UKMTO) reported on Wednesday, as attacks by Yemen's Houthi rebels increased in the region.
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“A fire broke out on board which has now been extinguished,” UKMTO said, adding that the crew and ship were now safe and making their way to the next port of call.
According to British shipping risk firm Ambrey, it was a Marshall Islands-flagged bulk carrier that was hit while traveling southeast of the Yemeni city of Aden.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack.
Since mid-November, Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi rebels have increased attacks in the Red Sea and surrounding waters on ships they say are linked to Israel, claiming solidarity with Palestinians under Israeli fire and siege Gaza Strip to act in response to Hamas' bloody attack on Israeli territory on October 7th.
The United States and the United Kingdom have carried out a series of attacks in recent days against Houthi positions, which have responded with attacks on American ships.
On Wednesday, Washington announced it had redesignated it as a “terrorist” entity.
“We will not give up attacking Israeli ships or ships heading to ports in occupied Palestine (…) in support of the Palestinian people,” however, warned their spokesman, Mohammed Abdelsalam, after the announcement of this measure.