Red Sea attack: Warship fires at vessel after UK and US Houthi strikes

A rocket has been fired against a ship in the Bab El Mandab Strait, United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) officials said.

The agency said a vessel reported that a “rocket” had been sighted on the starboard side of the vessel, which then exploded a few miles from the port side.

The incident occurred 60 nautical miles west of Yemen’s key port city in the Red Sea around 9.15pm local time (4.15pm ET), the UKMTO agency said on Tuesday.

There are no reported injuries or damages to the crew and vessel, UKMTO said in a press release.

“Vessels are advised to transit with caution and report any suspicious activity to UKMTO,” UKMTO wrote. 

Daily Express US has reached out to UKMTO for more information.

This comes a few days after the US and UK, backed by six other countries, carried out a joint operation against at least 18 Iranian-backed Houthi targets across eight location in Yemen on Saturday.

The latest airstrikes targeted Houthi underground weapons storage facilities, missile storage facilities, one-way attack unmanned aerial systems, air defense systems, radars, and a helicopter.

The Iranian-backed militants have disrupted the supply chain in the region by launching at least 57 attacks on commercial and navy ships transiting the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden since mid-November.

This spurred the US and British militaries to carry out retaliatory strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen, as well as deploying US warships to intercept Houthi-fired missile attacks in the Red Sea.

Last week, the Belize-flagged, UK-owned and M/V Rubyamar cargo ship was hit by a Houthi missile in the Bab al Mandeb Strait, forcing its crew members to send a distress call after the attack.

The Houthis have said their attacks are in solidarity with Palestinians, and to pressure Israel to stop its intense bombardment on Gaza in retaliation for the October 7 terror attack by Hamas.

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