A cargo vessel was attacked in the Red Sea off the coast of Yemen, the UK Royal Navy reported on Sunday. This was reported by DW, citing the British fleet, writes UNN.
The cargo ship sent a distress signal, reporting that it was under attack by unknown armed assailants. Authorities are investigating the incident
The incident occurred approximately 30 nautical miles (55.6 km) southwest of the city of Hodeidah, which is under the control of Iran-backed Houthi rebels.
According to UKMTO, a small boat approached the cargo vessel and opened fire. The ship's armed security returned fire, after which the boat returned to a larger vessel located about 2 nautical miles away.
No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack.
The Houthis began attacking commercial vessels in the Red Sea in 2023 in response to Israel's military operation in the Gaza Strip, which began after the Hamas militant attack on October 7, 2023.
The Houthi attacks have disrupted shipping on one of the most important international maritime trade routes, forcing many companies to reroute their vessels around Africa to avoid the threat.