British ship targeted in suspected Yemen Houthi rebel drone attack in Read Sea

A ship travelling through the southern Red Sea was attacked by a suspected Yemen Houthi rebel drone on February 6.

The attack happened west of Hodeida, Yemen, and the projectile caused “slight damage” to the vessel's windows on the bridge, Caliber.Az reports citing the British military's United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations.

A small vessel had been nearby the ship before the attack, it added.

UKMTO/WARNING/INCIDENT 027 UPDATE 001 06/FEB/2024

Category: ATTACKhttps://t.co/kEfQRRMntN#MaritimeSecurity #MarSec pic.twitter.com/XqIavtb71a

— United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) (@UK_MTO) February 6, 2024

The private security firm Ambrey identified the vessel as a Barbados-flagged, United Kingdom-owned cargo ship. No one was hurt onboard the vessel, which suffered “minor damage,” the firm said.

No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack. However, suspicions immediately fell on the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen.

A day earlier, the US military launched a new strike on the territory of Yemen, targeting the surface drones of the Houthi rebels from the Ansar Allah movement, the United States Central Command (USCENTCOM) reported.

CENTCOM Self-Defense Strikes

On Feb. 5, at approximately 3:30 p.m. (Sanaa time), U.S. Central Command forces conducted a strike in self-defense against two Houthi explosive uncrewed surface vehicles (USV).

U.S. forces identified the explosive USVs in Houthi-controlled areas of… pic.twitter.com/WMntzJOnw6

— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) February 6, 2024

"On February 5, at approximately 3:30 p.m. Sanaa time (12:30 p.m. GMT), US Central Command forces conducted a strike in self-defence against two Houthi explosive uncrewed surface vehicles (USV). US forces identified the explosive USVs in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen and determined they presented an imminent threat to US Navy ships and merchant vessels in the region," the command said in a statement posted on its X page.