[Updated] Yemen’s Houthi rebels have hit one other service provider ship and sparked a hearth with a missile strike within the Gulf of Aden, in line with two UK safety consultancies. 

Ambrey and Vanguard Tech each report that the sub-Panamax boxship MSC Sky II has been hit by a missile and has caught hearth.

The grasp of MSC Sky II studies that the assault concerned two missiles: the primary went into the water off the vessel’s port quarter, and the second reportedly struck the ship’s lodging block. No accidents had been reported, however the affect began a hearth, and the crew had been engaged in firefighting as of Monday afternoon. 

In an replace late within the day, U.S. Central Command reported that the MSC Sky didn’t request help and continued on its voyage. 

MSC is owned and operated by the Aponte household out of its headquarters in Switzerland. However, one of many agency’s prime shareholders was born in what’s now the state of Israel. Some analysts counsel that Yemen’s Houthi rebels have recognized this connection and are focusing on MSC vessels due to the affiliation: the Houthis assert that their marketing campaign towards delivery within the Red Sea is aimed toward disrupting Israeli commerce and making use of political strain to halt Israel’s operation in Gaza. 

MSC vessels have been focused a number of occasions because the starting of Houthi hostilities final fall. Houthi militants attacked MSC Palatium III with a ballistic missile in mid-December; MSC United VIII was attacked within the Red Sea about 10 days later; and MSC Silver II was focused final month. None of those earlier assaults had been profitable, although the Houthis have precipitated appreciable harm to different homeowners’ vessels. 

MSC had beforehand indicated that it will droop Red Sea operations because of the safety danger.