Yemen’s Houthis attack two ships in the Red Sea

The Yemeni Houthis said on Monday they had attacked two tankers in the Red Sea with missiles and drones after a British intelligence agency reported several attacks in the troubled waterway.

In a statement on social media platform X, Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree identified the two vessels as BENTLEY I, a Panama-flagged oil tanker, and CHIOS LION, a Liberian-flagged crude oil tanker.

The BENTLEY I was attacked with “drone boats, unmanned aerial vehicles and ballistic missiles,” while the CHIOS LION was attacked with unmanned surface vessels, Saree said.

They were targeted because their owners had used Israeli ports, the rebel spokesman said.

On Monday, the British Maritime Trade Operations reported two separate incidents in the Red Sea.

A ship sailing southwest of the port city of Hodeidah was attacked by three small boats, two of which had three people on board each, UKMTO said.

The third boat was unmanned, according to the agency operated by the British Royal Navy.

“The unmanned small boat collided with the vessel twice and the two manned small boats fired at the vessel,” UKMTO said.

“After 15 minutes, the small boat broke off the attack. The ship and crew are safe and are heading to its next port of call.”

The same ship later reported the explosion of four missiles “in close proximity,” UKMTO said, adding that the attacks resulted in no injuries or damage to property.

The British maritime security company Ambrey also reported the attack and stated that there was a private armed security team on board the merchant ship.

In another incident on Monday, an unmanned surface vessel “collided” with a merchant ship 97 nautical miles northwest of Hodeidah, UKMTO said.

The attack caused “some damage and light smoke,” it said. “The ship and crew are reportedly safe and are proceeding to the next port of call,” the statement said.

Despite the stationing of Western naval forces to protect ships in the Red Sea, an important waterway for world trade, the Houthis have carried out drone and missile attacks.

Since January, the United States and Britain have repeatedly carried out retaliatory strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen.

On Sunday, the US military’s Central Command (CENTCOM) said His forces destroyed several Houthi drones.

“These measures have been taken to protect freedom of navigation and make international waters safer,” said a post on the social media platform X.