A suspected attack by Yemeni Houthi rebels targets a ship transiting the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

MICHAEL WAKIN, Associated Press

14 mins ago

This is an overview map of Yemen with its capital Sanaa. (AP Photo)

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A suspected attack by Yemen’s Houthi rebels targeted a ship in the narrow Bab el-Mandeb Strait on Wednesday, authorities acknowledging that the rebels launched their longest attack yet on a U.S.-flagged vessel near the Arabian Sea.

The sudden wave of attacks by the Houthis came after an unexplained week-and-a-half-long rebel pause. The rebels may be regrouping before a new U.S. aircraft carrier arrives in the region after the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower begins its journey home.

The attack on Wednesday targeted a ship south of Mocha, the British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Center said. The captain reported explosions on the side of the ship.

“The ship and all crew are safe,” the UKMTO said. “The ship is proceeding to its next port of call.”

The Houthis have been attacking ships in the Red Sea corridor since November. The rebels did not immediately claim responsibility for Wednesday’s attack, although they often do so after hours or even days.

On Tuesday, the Houthis said they fired missiles at a US container ship in the Gulf of Aden. The US Navy’s Joint Maritime Information Center identified the ship as the Maersk Sentosa and warned it was the longest attack by the Houthis from Yemen since November.

Late Tuesday evening, the Houthis claimed full responsibility for three attacks, including on the Maersk Sentosa. Maersk, a Danish company and the world’s largest shipping company, did not immediately respond for comment.

The rebels have attacked more than 70 ships with missiles and drones during their offensive, killing four sailors. Since November, they have captured 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 JMIC. US-led air strikes have been targeting the Houthi 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 sudden increase in attacks came after a relatively quiet week and a half. The rebels gave no explanation for the pause and resumption of attacks.

However, the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt is scheduled to enter the Middle East to replace the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, which spent months in the Red Sea fighting the Houthis.

The Navy has not released any new details on the location of the Roosevelt, but an image released by the Navy last Friday locates the aircraft carrier in the South China Sea.

___

Jon Gambrell in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, contributed to this report.