A suspected attack by Yemeni Houthi rebels targets a ship in the Gulf of Aden

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A suspected attack by Yemen’s Houthi rebels targeted a ship in the Gulf of Aden on Tuesday, the latest assault on the vital maritime trade route for which the group is blamed.

The ship’s captain reported an explosion in the immediate vicinity of the vessel off the coast of Nishtun in Yemen, close to the border with Oman, the British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Center said. The ship, whose name and flag were not disclosed, and all crew are safe, the UKMTO said in an alert to sailors.

The explosion occurred in the most remote part of the waterway, which had previously been a target of the rebels, the center said.

No further details were given about the cause of the explosion, but it is known that the Houthis use drones and missiles as well as bomb-carrying drone boats.

Late Tuesday evening, the Houthis claimed responsibility for three attacks, although it is still unclear which of these attacks were reported by the authorities. Since the latest attack, neither the maritime nor military authorities have confirmed any further attacks in the region.

The last reported Houthi attack in the region took place on June 28.

The rebels have attacked more than 70 ships with missiles and drones during their offensive. A total of four sailors have been killed. Since November, they have hijacked one ship and sunk two.

In June, the number of Houthi attacks on merchant ships rose to a level not seen since December, according to the Joint Maritime Information Center. US-led airstrikes have been targeting the Houthis since January. In a series of attacks on May 30, at least 16 people were killed and 42 others injured, according to the rebels.

The Houthis claim that their attacks target ships with links to Israel, the US or Britain as part of the rebels’ support for the militant Hamas group in its war against Israel in the Gaza Strip. However, many of the ships attacked have little or no connection to the war between Israel and Hamas – including some bound for Iran.

The story goes on

On June 28, five rockets struck near the Liberian-flagged tanker Delinox, which was sailing off the coast of the rebel-held port city of Hodeidah, according to the JMIC. The following day, Brigadier General Yahya Saree, military spokesman for the Houthis, said the group was responsible for two attacks on ships in the Red Sea. However, it was not immediately clear which ship the information center had reported.

The Houthis also said they used a drone boat in an attack on the Maltese-flagged bulk carrier Seajoy on June 27.

Meanwhile, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights on Tuesday expressed concern about 13 UN staff and other aid workers who continue to be held by Houthi rebels and called for their immediate release.

“We remain extremely concerned about the well-being of 13 UN staff and a number of NGO staff who have been detained by the de facto authorities of Ansar Allah in Yemen for over a month. We continue to be denied access to them,” the office said in a statement.

According to the UN, six of the 13 employees work for the UN human rights agency.

Michael Wakin, Associated Press