A daylight inspection confirmed {that a} service provider vessel was not hit or broken within the Red Sea off Yemen’s Hodeidah after preliminary studies it was struck by a missile, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) and British safety agency Ambrey mentioned on Friday.
Iran-aligned Houthi militants in Yemen have repeatedly launched drones and missiles in opposition to worldwide business transport within the area since mid-November in professed solidarity with Palestinians in opposition to Israel’s warfare in Gaza.
Their Red Sea assaults have disrupted international transport, forcing corporations to take longer and dearer journeys across the southern finish of Africa.
UKMTO mentioned the ship was 76 nautical miles (140 km) west of the port of Hodeidah when the incident was first reported, whereas a second vessel was 50 nautical miles southwest when it reported missiles flying overhead and exploding within the distance.
“The Master reported two missiles flying over the vessel and heard two loud blasts in the distance. The vessel reported no damage and the crew are reported safe. The vessel is proceeding to its next port of call,” UKMTO mentioned in an advisory observe.
The United States and Britain have carried out strikes in opposition to Houthi targets in response to the assaults on transport.
Late on Thursday, the U.S. navy mentioned Houthis fired two anti-ship ballistic missiles from Yemen towards the Gulf of Aden, and to the north, two missiles towards the Red Sea, however there have been no accidents or harm reported to U.S. or coalition ships.
The U.S. navy’s Central Command mentioned early on Friday it destroyed 9 anti-ship missiles and two drones in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen.
(Reuters – Reporting by Muhammad Al Gebaly, Ahmed Elimam and Clauda Tanios; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman, Gerry Doyle, Michael Perry and Alex Richardson)
