UK military says ship ablaze after being struck off coast of Yemen

According to the British military, a ship in the Gulf of Aden, Yemen, has caught fire after being hit by a projectile, according to a report suggesting the crew was about to abandon the ship.

In solidarity with Palestinians who have been the target of Israelis’ bloody war in Gaza, Yemen’s Houthi rebels have continued their military campaign to attack ships through the Red Sea corridor.

Even though it can take them hours or even days to claim an attack, the Houthis did not claim it right away.

The incident occurred about 210 kilometers (130 miles) east of Aden, according to the British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) a center, which issued an alert about the vessel.

A vessel was struck by an unidentified projectile, which caused a fire, according to the UKMTO. Authorities are conducting inquiries.

The ship, which was traveling from Sohar, Oman to Djibouti, was described as a Cameroonian-flagged tanker that emitted a distress call as it passed about 60 nautical miles (equivalent to 110 kilometers) south of Yemen’s Ahwar.

A search-and-rescue operation was underway, according to the report, which suggested radio traffic indicated the ship’s crew was about to abandon ship.

Ambrey claimed that the tanker’s connection to Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis was unknown.

Since 2023, the group has launched numerous attacks on ships in the Red Sea, most of which they believe are connected to Israel or its supporters.

Trade flows between the Suez Canal and the Red Sea, one of the busiest shipping routes in the world, have been impacted by the attacks.

Since the ceasefire started in Gaza on October 10, however, no attacks have been launched by the rebel group.

One crew member was killed and another was hurt when the rebels’ most recent attack on the Dutch-flagged cargo ship Minervagracht occurred on September 29. At least nine mariners have been killed and four ships have sunk as a result of the Houthi campaign against shipping.

In recent months, Israel has repeatedly struck Yemeni civilian targets, killing dozens of them, in what it claims are Houthi targets. The Houthis have fired missiles at Israel, most of which have been intercepted, with some of the intercepted going past Israel’s renowned US-provided air defenses, resulting in injuries and airport delays.

The Houthi military’s Chief of Staff Muhammad Abd al-Karim al-Ghamari was killed by Israel on Thursday, according to Israel’s claim.

The Houthis claimed in a statement that Israel will continue to face deterrent punishment for the crimes it has committed and that the conflict with Israel has not yet ended.