Information
A cargo ship owned by a British company was attacked by a drone off the coast of Yemen in the Red Sea. UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) and security firm Ambrey confirmed the incident on Tuesday. The Barbados-flagged ship was 57 nautical miles west of Hodeida when it suffered minor damage to the bridge windows from a projectile. However, no injuries were reported. The UKMTO said that a small vessel had been near the ship before the attack. Despite this, the ship managed to evade the attack and continued its journey. Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels claimed responsibility for the attack and said that they had launched two separate attacks, one targeting an American ship named Star Nasia and the other targeting the British ship, Morning Tide. Last month, the US designated the Houthis as a global terrorist organization. The group has previously targeted vessels in the Red Sea in response to Israel’s war in Gaza against Hamas, which is also listed as a terrorist organization by the US, the EU, and other governments. These attacks have led to disruptions in global shipping, forcing companies to take longer and costlier detours around southern Africa. To secure maritime routes and deter further aggression, the US and UK have responded by targeting Houthi facilities in Yemen.
Source: AFP, Reuters
Assessment
It is evident that despite the airstrikes by the US and the UK, the Houthis still possess the ability and intention to carry out attacks on commercial ships that pass through the Gulf of Aden. It is likely that the Houthis will persist in disrupting trade in the region, leading to an increase in the cost of shipping insurance and subsequently raising the price of almost all goods. It is probable that attacks against Houthi targets are facing difficulty, as similar to Hamas in Gaza, they can use civilian buildings and locations to conceal firing points, ammunition dumps, and troop positions. This tactic allows Houthi fighters to move their resources to a hidden firing position, launch an attack, and then retreat before retaliatory strikes can be carried out.
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