UNITED Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) has reported December 3 multiple threats to shipping transiting the Bab el-Mandeb strait at the entrance to the Red Sea amid heightened risks to vessels in the region from drone attacks, reports London's S&P Global
UNITED Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) has reported December 3 multiple threats to shipping transiting the Bab el-Mandeb strait at the entrance to the Red Sea amid heightened risks to vessels in the region from drone attacks, reports London's S&P Global. UKMTO issued three separate statements warning of reported explosions, attacks on vessels by drones and an incidence of a vessel being ordered to change course by an entity describing itself as Yemeni authorities.
The UKMTO warnings come as The Associated Press, citing the US Pentagon, reported December 3 that a US warship and commercial vessels had come under attack in the Red Sea area.
'The crew of the guided-missile destroyer USS Carney, operating in the northern Red Sea, earlier shot down three land-attack cruise missiles and several drones launched by Houthis Forces in Yemen,' said Pentagon spokesperson Pat Ryder.
Separately, Houthi militants said in a statement they had attacked a bulk carrier identified as the Unity Explorer and container vessel called Number 9.
According to S&P Global Commodities at Sea, the Unity Explorer was last seen exiting the Gulf of Suez five days ago en route to delivering a soybean cargo loaded in the US to Zhoushan in China through the Bab el-Mandeb.
CAS mapping data showed the Number 9 sailing December 3 in the Red Sea northwest of Hudeidah port in Yemen, heading toward the Gulf of Suez.
Threats to shipping in the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb area - a major chokepoint for crude and oil products being shipped globally - have ratcheted up in the wake of the war between Hamas and Israel. Iran-backed Houthi militants have been accused of targeting shipping in the region repeatedly with drones, driving up risk premiums and insurance.
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