Authorities reported that a ship traveling through the Red Sea was damaged on Friday by missiles believed to have been fired by Yemen's Houthi rebels. This incident comes amidst an increase in assaults by the Houthis following a period of reduced activity in their ongoing campaign related to Israel's conflict with Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
The private security firm Ambrey disclosed that three missiles were involved in the attack, with one landing closest to a Panama-flagged, Seychelles-registered tanker reportedly engaged in Russia-linked trade. The vessel, identified as the Andromeda Star, was en route from Primorsk, Russia, to Vadinar, India, according to ship-tracking data showing its location off Mocha, Yemen.
While the Houthis have not officially claimed responsibility for the missile attack, it is common for them to acknowledge such actions after a delay. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center also confirmed the incident off Mocha, noting that one missile landed near a ship and a subsequent attack caused damage to the vessel, although it was not immediately confirmed if the Andromeda Star was the affected ship.
According to the U.S. Maritime Administration, the Houthis have carried out over 50 attacks on shipping since November, including seizing one vessel and sinking another. Recent weeks have seen a decrease in Houthi attacks due to increased targeting by a U.S.-led airstrike campaign in Yemen and reduced maritime traffic in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
Despite speculations that the rebels may be facing weapon shortages due to the ongoing campaign against them, there have been at least two attacks claimed by the Houthis since Wednesday. These attacks targeted the MV Yorktown, a U.S.-flagged vessel with American and Greek crew members, and the MSC Darwin.
The Houthis have declared their intent to continue attacks until Israel ceases its conflict in Gaza, where the death toll among Palestinians has surpassed 34,000. While most of the targeted ships have had minimal or no direct ties to the conflict, the rebels have also launched missiles towards Israel, with limited success in hitting their intended targets.
For more updates on the Israel-Hamas conflict, visit AP's Israel-Hamas coverage.
