Two Ships Targeted Off Yemen: Security Firm

Dubai, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 7th Apr, 2024) Two ships have been targeted off Yemen, British maritime security firm Ambrey said on Sunday, raising to three the number of incidents reported in under 24 hours.

The attacks were not immediately claimed, but they coincide with a campaign by Yemen's Iran-backed Huthis against ships the rebels say are linked to Israel amid the Gaza war.

Ambrey said "a vessel was targeted... southwest of Mukalla," a Yemeni port city, without clarifying if it was hit.

It was the second attack Ambrey reported on Sunday.

Earlier, it said a projectile fell near a ship southwest of the Yemeni port of Aden.

British security agency United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations said that "missile impacted the water in close proximity" to the ship.

"No damage to the vessel reported and crew reported safe," it said.

Sunday's attacks come hours after two missiles targeted a ship southwest of the Yemeni port city of Hodeidah, according to both UKMTO and Ambrey.

One missile was intercepted by US-led coalition forces and the second missed the ship, according to UKMTO.

Huthi rebels have launched dozens of missile and drone strikes on shipping in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden since November, saying their actions are in solidarity with Palestinians during the Gaza war.

The United States, which leads an multi-national flotilla intended to protect Red Sea shipping, has since mid-January launched repeated attacks on Huthi targets in Yemen.

British warplanes have also taken part in several of the strikes.

In a televised speech on Thursday, Huthi chief Abdul Malik al-Huthi said 37 people had been killed in more than 400 strikes by US and British forces on Yemen since January.

"During these operations and attacks, 37 martyrs died and 30 others were wounded," he said, without specifying if the casualties were civilians or combatants.

The rebel leader vowed to continue strikes on Red Sea shipping, saying his fighters had launched 34 attacks over the past month.

ho/srm