DUBAI (AFP) – Three projectiles hit a merchant vessel off Yemen’s rebel-held port city of Hodeida on Wednesday, limiting the ship’s ability to manoeuvre, British maritime security agency UKMTO said.
The ship initially exchanged fire with two small vessels, one with three to five people onboard while the second carried around 10, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations said.
The ship was later “struck by two unidentified projectiles before being hit by a third,” the agency, which is run by Britain’s Royal Navy, said.
It said there were no reports of casualties but “the vessel reports being not under command”, meaning it was limited in its ability to manoeuvre, likely because of damage.
Maritime security firm Ambrey also reported an incident off Hodeida but did not elaborate.
There was no immediate claim for the attack but it comes as the Houthi rebels keep up a nine-month-old campaign against international shipping in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden that they say is in support of Gaza.
Their campaign of rocket and drone attacks has severely disrupted maritime traffic through the Red Sea, which normally accounts for up to 12 per cent of world trade.
The United States and Britain have responded by striking Houthi targets in Yemen since January but the attacks have done little to deter the rebels.
