Houthis attacked Singapore-flagged ship in the Gulf of Aden

A ship flying the Singapore flag was damaged in a suspected attack by Houthi militias southeast of Yemen on Friday, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) said in a statement.

The MPA said it had been informed that the container ship LOBIVIA had been hit by “unidentified projectiles” while transiting the Gulf of Aden, causing a fire on board that was subsequently extinguished by the crew.

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There are no Singaporeans under the occupation, Channel News Asia was reported, citing the authority, adding that the entire crew was well and safe.

Despite the hit, the ship was able to set sail and reach the Somali port of Berbera. A damage assessment and, if necessary, repairs are being carried out, it said.

The MPA said it was in contact with the ship’s manager to provide assistance if required. The Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) had also alerted its security partners in the Gulf of Aden region to provide assistance, it added.

In a televised address, Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea said the group had fired ballistic missiles and drones at the LOBIVIA.

According to the British Maritime Trade Operations, the LOBIVIA was hit twice by two missiles about 83 nautical miles southeast of the port city of Aden in Yemen.

“The ship was sailing northeast along the Gulf of Aden when a nearby merchant vessel noticed ‘light and explosion’ at the location where the ship was located.” Channel News Asia said British security company Ambrey.

Ambrey said the ship appeared to immediately take evasive action and turned off its automatic identification system about an hour later.

Since November, Houthi militants in Yemen have launched drone and missile attacks on shipping lanes in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. The group said its actions were a sign of solidarity with Palestinians affected by Israel’s war in Gaza.

The group has sunk two ships and hijacked another, killed at least three sailors and significantly disrupted world trade by forcing shipowners to avoid the shortcut through the Suez Canal.

On Tuesday, the Liberian-flagged oil tanker Chios Lion was forced to turn around to assess damage and investigate a possible oil spill after it was attacked by the group in the Red Sea. Britain and the US have carried out retaliatory strikes, shooting down drones and bombing attack sites in Yemen since February.