Greek-owned ship targeted by missile off Yemen – maritime security firms

DUBAI – A missile attack targeted a Greek-owned cargo vessel off Yemen a short while ago without causing any casualties or damage, according to maritime security agencies.

There is no immediate claim of responsibility, but Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels have waged a campaign of attacks against Israeli-linked shipping in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden since November in a show of support for Palestinians amid the ongoing war in Gaza.

The Joint Maritime Information Centre, which is run by a Western-led naval task force in the region, identifies the vessel targeted in the latest attack as the Maltese-flagged bulk carrier Yannis.

Global tracking service MarineTraffic says the ship was en route from Russia to Kenya and identifies its owner and operator as Greek shipping firm Eastern Mediterranean Maritime Limited.

Maritime security firm Ambrey says the vessel was likely targeted “due to its listed operator’s ongoing trade with Israel” and that the attempted attack on the Yannis occurred 68 nautical miles off the rebel-controlled Yemeni port city of Hodeida.

“The vessel had undergone what she described as a ‘missile attack’ at the location,” it says, adding that “no injuries or damage were reported.”

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, run by the Royal Navy, reports “a missile impacting the water in close proximity” to the ship, adding that the “vessel and all crew are safe and proceeding to next port of call.”

The rebel attacks on shipping along the vital trade route have prompted countermeasures by a Western-led naval task force and reprisal strikes on Houthi targets by British and US warplanes.