Merchant vessel struck by projectiles off Yemen's coast, no casualties reported

Shafaq News/ A merchant vessel was struck by multiple projectiles off the coast of Yemen early Wednesday, following an encounter with two small craft, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said.

The incident occurred approximately 77 nautical miles west of Al Hudayah (Hodeidah), Yemen, at 0257 UTC, when the vessel's master reported being approached by two small boats.

The first boat, UKMTO said, carried between three and five individuals, while the second had around ten people on board. The boats hailed the merchant vessel, leading to a brief exchange of small arms fire.

Following the encounter, the small craft moved away to a distance of about two nautical miles. However, at 0500 UTC, the merchant vessel was struck by two unidentified projectiles, followed by a third hit. The vessel reported being not under command after the attack. No casualties have been reported.

Authorities are investigating the incident.

No group claims responsibility; however, Hodeidah is a Houthi-controlled city where the Yemeni group is launching a campaign against ships they say are linked to Israel, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Since November, the Houthis have been targeting commercial ships in the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea in support of the Palestinians in Gaza, according to their statements, amid the ongoing war in the region since October 7. Meanwhile, the United States and the United Kingdom have been bombing the group's targets for months.

The Houthi attacks have impacted shipping traffic in the strategic region, through which 12% of global trade passes.

Last month, Israel said its aircraft struck Houthi military targets near Hodeidah, but the attack targeted oil facilities and a power station, killing at least six people and wounding about 80.