- The report said only that the ship's captain reported that the “port side of the ship was hit from above by a missile,” but did not identify the ship or elaborate
- Less than a day after Yemen's Houthi rebels launched an attack on an American destroyer in the Red Sea
A US merchant ship was hit by a missile off the coast of Yemen on Monday, the British military confirmed.
The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported that an “incident” occurred 95 nautical miles southeast of Aden, but details of the incident are not yet known.
The report said only that the ship's captain reported that the “port side of the ship was hit from above by a missile,” but did not identify the ship or elaborate. It is currently unknown who was behind the attack and an investigation has been launched.
Private intelligence agency Ambrey said a U.S. bulk carrier flying the Marshall Islands flag was hit by the missile.
The UKMTO warned vessels to “proceed with caution and report any suspicious activity”.
Less than a day after Yemen's Houthi rebels launched an attack on an American destroyer in the Red Sea.
On Sunday, Yemen's Houthi rebels launched an attack on an American destroyer in the Red Sea
A US warplane shot down an anti-ship cruise missile that Houthi rebels had fired at the American destroyer USS Laboon (pictured) in the Red Sea on Sunday. This was their first response to a series of American drone strikes in recent days
Sunday's attack on the American warship was the first U.S.-recognized attack by the Houthis since America and allied nations began attacks on the rebels on Friday after weeks of attacks on ships in the Red Sea.
The Houthis – an Iran-allied Shiite rebel group that captured Yemen's capital in 2014 – have targeted this key corridor carrying energy and cargo shipments from Asia and the Middle East via the Suez Canal and beyond as part of the Israel-Hamas war connects to Europe. Attacks threaten to expand this corridor, turning the conflict into a regional conflagration.
They did not immediately acknowledge the attack.
It was not currently clear whether the U.S. would retaliate for the latest attacks, although President Joe Biden said he “will not hesitate to take further action if necessary to protect our people and free international trade.”
The U.S. Navy's Middle East-based 5th Fleet did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Yemen's Houthi rebels did not confirm an attack, although they had previously fired rockets into the area.
Houthi fire on Sunday targeted the USS Laboon, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer operating in the southern part of the Red Sea, the US military's Central Command said in a statement.
The US said the missile came from near Hodeida, a Red Sea port long held by the Houthis.
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US cargo ship off Yemen is hit by a missile, the British military confirms, after Houthi rebels attacked an American destroyer in the Red Sea