Aerial drone likely launched by Yemen’s Houthi rebels strikes and damages a vessel in the Red Sea, marking the latest in a series of attacks on maritime vessels. The incident occurs off the coast of Hodeida, leading to damage on a container ship bound for China, with no casualties reported.
On Sunday, an aerial drone likely launched by Yemen’s Houthi rebels struck and damaged a vessel in the Red Sea. This incident marks the latest in a series of Houthi attacks targeting this critical maritime corridor. The drone attack occurred at dawn off the coast of the Houthi-controlled port city of Hodeida, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center. The vessel, a Liberia-flagged container ship bound for Qingdao, China, sustained damage, but all mariners on board were reported safe. The extent of the damage is still under investigation.
Houthi rebels have previously launched over 60 attacks on specific vessels and fired other missiles and drones, resulting in the death of four sailors, the seizure of one vessel, and the sinking of two others since November. These efforts are declared by the group to continue as long as the Israel-Hamas conflict persists. The Houthis allege their attacks target ships connected to Israel, the United States, or Britain, though many affected vessels have no direct link to the Israel-Hamas war.
This latest attack comes as the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower returns to its base in Norfolk, Virginia, after an eight-month deployment, during which it led the U.S. response to Houthi assaults. The USS Theodore Roosevelt will take its place following a scheduled exercise in the Indo-Pacific.
