British cargo ship attacked in the Red Sea
Kyiv • UNN
A British cargo ship was attacked by an unmanned aerial vehicle in the Red Sea near Yemen, and the crew was not injured.
A British cargo ship has been attacked in the Red Sea, the UK Maritime Trade Operations Office (UKMTO) has reported, UNN writes citing Sky News.
Details
The ship was attacked west of Hodeidah in Yemen just after midnight on Tuesday.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, but the Associated Press reports that Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen are suspected.
The UKMTO stated that the ship's captain was "aware of a small vessel to port" before the shell was fired at the ship.
None of the crew was injured, and the ship's bridge windows sustained minor damage.
The vessel was declared safe to continue its journey.
Maritime security firm Ambrey identified the vessel as a Barbados-flagged cargo ship owned by a British company, saying it had been physically damaged by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) while sailing southeast across the Red Sea.
Addendum
On Monday, UK Defense Secretary Grant Shapps told the House of Commons that the UK would not hesitate to respond again "in self-defense" to Houthi attacks in Yemen.
He briefed members of parliament after the UK and the US took part in joint airstrikes against Houthi targets on Saturday.
The attacks in the Red Sea have disrupted global shipping, forcing companies to take longer and more expensive voyages around southern Africa, while fueling fears that the war between Israel and Hamas could spread and destabilize the entire Middle East.
