Cargo Vessel Attacked off the Coast of Yemen

A cargo vessel has come under attack off the coast of Yemen, near the Bab Al Mandeb strait.

The vessel was approached by a boat carrying six armed people as it sailed about 88 nautical miles (160km) south-west of Balhaf, Yemen, the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said in a statement posted on X.

There was an exchange of fire between the attackers and the cargo ship’s security team, after which the small craft broke off the approach. No casualties or damage were reported. The UKMTO advised vessels in the area to exercise caution and report suspicious activity.

The attack comes after Yemen’s Houthi rebels on Monday threatened to attack shipping linked to Israel in the strait, which is the gateway to the Red Sea. At the time, the group’s military spokesman, Brig Gen Yahya Al Saree, declared a “complete ban on enemy navigation” in the Red Sea, saying “enemy ships” would be treated as military targets and warning that operations would intensify in response to regional escalation.

Maritime security agencies are monitoring heightened risks to commercial traffic through the key global shipping route.

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