Two ships hit by projectiles, catch fire off Yemen's coast

Shafaq News/ Two ships caught fire after being hit by projectiles off the coast of Yemen's Aden, according to reports from two UK maritime agencies on Sunday.

The British security firm Ambrey reported that an Antigua and Barbuda-flagged general cargo ship was struck by a missile 83 nautical miles southeast of Aden, igniting a fire that was subsequently contained.

Earlier, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) received a report from a ship captain about an incident 80 nautical miles southeast of Aden.

The vessel was moving southwest along the Gulf of Aden at a speed of 8.2 knots when a missile struck its forward station, starting a fire that was quickly neutralized, Ambrey noted in an advisory.

"A second missile was sighted but did not hit the ship. Persons on board small boats in the vicinity opened fire on the ship during the incident," Ambrey added. The ship then changed course to port, increased its speed, and no injuries were reported.

In a separate incident, Ambrey and UKMTO reported that another vessel was hit by an unknown projectile 70 nautical miles southwest of Aden.

"The master reports that the vessel was hit on the aft section, resulting in a fire. Damage control is underway," UKMTO stated in an advisory note. No casualties were reported, and the vessel continued to its next port of call.

Notably, the Iran-aligned Houthis (Ansarallah) have been attacking ships off its coast for months, claiming to act in solidarity with Palestinians fighting Israel in Gaza. However, the Houthis did not confirm responsibility for the latest incidents.

Houthi fighters have launched drone and missile attacks in the Bab al-Mandab Strait and the Gulf of Aden, compelling shippers to take longer, more costly routes around southern Africa since November.

In response to these attacks, the United States and the UK have carried out strikes against Houthi targets.