One sailor injured, merchant ship burns after Houthi rocket attack | Shipping news

The Palauan-flagged, Ukrainian-owned and Polish-operated vessel M/V Verbena was delivering timber to Italy when it was attacked.

Two cruise missiles fired by Yemen’s Houthi rebels hit a bulk carrier in the Gulf of Aden, seriously injuring a crew member.

The M/V Verbena, a Palauan-flagged, Ukrainian-owned and Polish-operated vessel, “reported damage and subsequent fires on board. The crew continues to battle the fire. One civilian sailor was seriously injured during the attack,” the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a statement on Thursday.

“USS Philippine Sea aircraft evacuated the injured sailor to a nearby partner ship for medical attention,” it said.

The Houthis, who have been at war with a Saudi-led coalition since ousting Yemen’s internationally recognized government from Sanaa in 2014, have been attacking ships with suspected links to Israel in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden since November 2023.

They say the action is a sign of solidarity with the Palestinians in light of Israel’s war against Gaza, in which at least 37,232 people have been killed.

On Thursday, the Iran-backed group said it had attacked three ships within 24 hours, including the Verbena, “in retaliation for the crimes committed against our people in the Gaza Strip and in response to the American-British aggression against our country.”

The British military’s UK Maritime Trade Operations Centre (UKMTO) had previously announced on Thursday that a ship had been attacked and caught fire. The private security company Ambrey said that a merchant ship had sent out a distress call by radio saying it had been hit by a missile.

The Houthis later claimed responsibility for the attack on the Verbena and two other ships in the Red Sea. The Central Command said the Houthis fired two ballistic missiles in the Red Sea that caused “no injuries or significant damage.”

The UKMTO said a ship that the Houthis had previously missed was hit by a “third projectile” that caused “minor damage.” The ship remained underway, it said.

According to CENTCOM, the Verbena was loaded with lumber and was en route from Malaysia to Italy. Security and military sources told Reuters that the Verbena still had propulsion and steering capabilities.

Thursday’s attack was the Houthis’ second direct attack on a merchant ship within two days.

A day earlier, they had claimed responsibility for a series of attacks on small vessels and missiles, after which the Greek coal freighter “Tutor” took on water near Hodeidah and had to be rescued.

The Philippine Foreign Ministry condemned the attack on the Tutor, whose crew included Filipinos.

The Houthi operations in the Red Sea have disrupted global shipping, caused delays and increased costs for the international supply chain. The rebels have sunk one ship, hijacked another and killed three sailors in separate attacks. Shipping companies have now rerouted their vessels around the southern tip of Africa, adding another 3,000 to 3,500 nautical miles (5,500 to 6,500 km) to their route.