A cargo ship was fired upon in the Red Sea near Hodeida, with security guards returning fire. Investigations are ongoing, and no group has claimed
The Times of Israel reported that a cargo ship came under fire in the Red Sea off Houthi-controlled Hodeida, with its security guards returning fire before the assailants fled.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) centre stated that the vessel was attacked 30 nautical miles southwest of Hodeida by gunmen on a skiff. The attackers retreated to a larger ship with its identification system switched off.
The cargo ship and crew were unharmed, according to UKMTO, which added that investigations were underway. No group immediately claimed responsibility for the incident.
UKMTO is an organization created by the Royal Navy in response to rising piracy incidents and threats to commercial shipping, especially off the coast of Somalia.
The Houthis have previously targeted merchant shipping with drones and missiles near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, forcing companies to reroute vessels around Africa instead of using the Suez Canal.
Since November 2023, the Houthis have attacked more than 100 merchant vessels, sinking two and killing four sailors, while also launching missiles and drones at Israel. The US and Israel responded with air strikes across Houthi-held areas.
Although the Houthis halted attacks during Gaza ceasefires, they remain part of Iran's Axis of Resistance alongside Hamas and Hezbollah. Somali pirates have also been active in the Gulf of Aden, with a vessel attacked south of Balhaf on July 1.
