A cargo ship operating in the Red Sea has reported an encounter with unknown armed assailants off the coast of Hodeida, a city currently held by Iranian-backed Houthi rebels. According to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), the vessel was situated approximately 30 nautical miles, or 55 kilometers, southwest of Hodeida when the incident occurred.
The UKMTO stated that a skiff approached the bulk carrier and initiated gunfire. In response, the ship’s onboard security guards returned fire, successfully forcing the attackers to withdraw. The assailants then retreated to a larger vessel located about 2 nautical miles, or 3.7 kilometers, away, which had its automatic identification system turned off during the engagement.
British military authorities confirmed that the cargo ship and its crew remain safe following the confrontation, and an investigation into the matter is currently underway. While no organization has immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, the incident follows a pattern of regional instability. Houthi rebels have previously conducted drone and missile strikes against commercial vessels near the Bab al-Mandab Strait, forcing many shipping companies to divert routes around the southern tip of Africa to avoid the Red Sea and Suez Canal.
The region has also seen activity from other actors, including suspected Somali pirates. On July 1, a vessel was attacked 76 nautical miles, or 140 kilometers, south of the Yemeni port town of Balhaf. In that instance, four armed individuals on a small craft caused minor damage to the ship’s bridge, as reported by the UKMTO. Somali pirates also have been active further away in the gulf of aden recently. A spokesperson for the Houthis did not immediately provide a comment regarding the latest reported attack.
