Houthis strike cargo ship in Bab el-Mandeb Strait, killing three crewmembers
by Vaughn Cockayne · The Washington TimesA cargo ship was hit by an unidentified projectile Tuesday while traveling near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait in the southern Red Sea, resulting in several casualties.
United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations confirmed that several crewmembers had been injured, some fatally, during the strike but said the incident is still under investigation. The status of the ship is still unknown.
UKMTO advised other ships traveling in the Red Sea to take extra precautions and to report any suspicious activity.
A Reuters report from earlier Tuesday attributed the strike to Houthi rebels in Yemen, who have consistently targeted commercial ships in the Red Sea since July. The report, citing Yemeni government officials, said three crewmembers had been killed in the strike.
If confirmed, the strike would be the first fatal strike on a commercial vessel since the current wave of Houthi shipping attacks resumed.
The Houthis launched their latest campaign in solidarity with Iran following the breakdown of the Islamabad memorandum of understanding. The group’s leaders vowed to attack commercial ships linked to Saudi Arabia and warned it would not be safe for them to transit the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
The Houthis have said they forced back 29 ships from passage in the Red Sea since the blockade began.
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Vaughn Cockayne
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