Cargo vessel attacked off coast of Yemen in Red Sea — report

A cargo vessel is believed to be on fire off the coast of Yemen in the Red Sea amid a suspected attack by Houthi rebels.

The suspected attack occurred about 15 nautical miles from the Houthi-controlled Yemeni port city of Mokha late Monday, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency, run by Britain’s Royal Navy (UKMTO). The ship was reportedly within the Bab-el-Mandeb strait and connects the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.

UKMTO later said it received a report of an “entity declaring itself to be the Yemeni Navy, ordering a naval to alter course to a Yemen port,” and warned other vessels to exercise caution.

The Iranian-backed Houthis have repeatedly attacked vessels in the Red Sea since October 7 when Hamas terrorists launched a shock onslaught on Israel, killing 1,200 and taking some 240 hostages. Israel has vowed to destroy Hamas in Gaza and is three months into a war with the terror organization.

On Saturday, Houthi rebels threatened to attack any vessels heading to Israeli ports unless food and medicine were allowed into Gaza.

Earlier today, a French frigate shot down two drones in the Red Sea after coming under attack from the unmanned aerial vehicles, the foreign ministry in Paris said, adding that France was acting in self-defense. The French general staff reported that the Languedoc frigate, operating in the Red Sea, had opened fire on two drones heading straight towards it from the Yemen coast, destroying both.

The Houthis have attacked ships they allege have direct links to Israel but the latest threat widens the scope of their targets.

Earlier this month, a US destroyer shot down three drones earlier this month while providing assistance to commercial ships in the Red Sea that were targeted by attacks from Yemen, according to Washington. It condemned what it said was “a direct threat” to maritime security.