Drone attack damages ship off Yemen: UK agency

According to United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, which is led by the British Navy, the attack took place 64 nautical miles northwest of Mokha, Yemen, near the strategic Bab al-Mandeb Strait.

The ship was first hit by an unmanned aerial vehicle which exploded nearby, causing minor damage, UKMTO said.

The second attack used an unmanned surface ship which also exploded nearby. Both crew and ship were safe.

The ship later reported that a missile had been fired “in the vicinity”, in what was likely a failed missile attack, UKMTO said.

The agency has not disclosed which ship was involved or who was behind the attacks.

Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen have launched dozens of drone and missile attacks on shipping with ties to Israel since November, saying the campaign is intended to show solidarity with Palestinians in Israel’s war on Gaza.

According to a tally by the think tank Washington Institute for Near East Policy, the Houthis have attacked at least 88 commercial vessels in nine months.

On Friday, the rebels fired missiles and drones at a Singapore-flagged container ship, causing a fire that the crew later extinguished.

The Houthis’ attacks have prompted some shipping companies to take a detour to bypass southern Africa and the Red Sea, a key route that normally carries about 12 percent of world trade.

Egypt’s Suez Canal reported a 23.4 percent drop in annual revenue on Thursday, which the company blamed on disruption to shipping across the Red Sea.