Maritime agency says it received report of exchange of fire between boats off Yemen’s Aden port

A UK maritime agency says it received a report of an exchange of fire involving a vessel and a small boat around 70 nautical miles southwest of Yemen’s port of Aden.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations says that a vessel was approached and hailed by a white skiff with five people on board, and this was followed by an exchange of small arms fire.

Two additional skiffs were also reported in the vicinity, and authorities were investigating, according to UKMTO.

Yemen’s Houthis have launched numerous attacks on vessels in the Red Sea since 2023, saying they were acting in solidarity with Palestinians over Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza. But the attacks have halted since a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas was brokered in October.

Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.