In a suspected Houthis attack on Tuesday, a drone boat loaded with explosives struck a commercial ship in the Red Sea, according to the British military and private security officials.
This incident, along with another missile attack earlier in the day, appears to be the Houthis’ first actions against commercial shipping in recent weeks.
The surge in hostilities comes as the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict threatens to spill over into a broader regional war.
The Houthis did not immediately claim responsibility, however, they often delay acknowledgment of their operations.
The drone attack took place approximately 70 miles from the Yemeni port city of Hodeida.
A ship’s captain reported seeing four “splashes” near the vessel, which the British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) center said could have been missiles or drones.
Shortly after, a second attack was reported further north.
The private intelligence firm Ambrey confirmed two separate incidents and later identified the device involved in the initial assault as a drone boat, a weapon increasingly used by Houthi forces.
The drone punctured one of the ship’s ballast tanks, which are critical for controlling buoyancy.
www.newsweek.com/houthi-attack-drone-boat-red-sea-explosives-1961785