A merchant vessel reported being hit by a missile and sustaining damage 76 nautical miles west of Yemen’s al Hudaydah, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) organization on Friday.
“The vessel has sustained some damage. The crew are safe, and the vessel is proceeding to its next port of call,” stated the UKMTO in an advisory note.
Another ship, located 50 nautical miles (93 km) southwest of al Hudaydah, Yemen, reported missiles flying overhead and exploding in the distance.
“The Master reported two missiles flying over the vessel and heard two loud blasts in the distance. The vessel reported no damage, and the crew are safe. The vessel is proceeding to its next port of call,” the UKMTO confirmed.
Missiles fired at ships
Late Thursday, the US military reported that Houthis fired two anti-ship ballistic missiles from Yemen towards the Gulf of Aden and two missiles towards the Red Sea. Fortunately, there were no injuries or damage reported to US or coalition ships.
The US military’s Central Command disclosed that nine anti-ship missiles and two drones in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen were destroyed.
Houthi militants have launched drones and missiles against international commercial shipping in the Gulf of Aden since mid-November, claiming to support Palestinians against Israel’s military actions in Gaza.
The Red Sea attacks have disrupted global shipping, leading firms to take longer and costlier journeys around southern Africa and raising concerns that the Israel-Hamas conflict could escalate and destabilize the broader Middle East.
The United States and Britain have conducted strikes against Houthi targets in retaliation.
