Houthi Missile Attack Suspected Near Commercial Vessel In Red Sea

A suspected attack by Yemen’s Houthi rebels targeted a commercial vessel in the Red Sea on September 4. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported that the master of a vessel sailing 178 nautical miles northwest of Hudaydah, Yemen, informed officials that an “unknown projectile” had splashed into the sea some distance away.

The ship and its crew were unharmed, but the master also reported “severe electronic interference” during the transit. UKMTO issued a new warning advising vessels to remain cautious in the region.

The private security companies Ambrey and EOS Risk Group also acknowledged the incident. EOS Risk analyst Martin Kelly said the recent pattern shows a clear rise, shifting from occasional missile launches to multiple daily attempts.

The suspected attack comes only days after other vessels were also targeted. On September 3, the Liberian-registered chemical tanker Scarlet Ray, operated by Idan Ofer’s Eastern Pacific Shipping, reported that a missile splashed near the vessel and exploded. The Houthis claimed they had struck the ship, but the company later confirmed there was no damage.

UKMTO WARNING 030-25 SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY 04 SEP 2025 0310UTChttps://t.co/0FPhftet8J#MaritimeSecurity #MarSec pic.twitter.com/RlpokHqQrm

— UKMTO Operations Centre (@UK_MTO) September 4, 2025

On September 2, the group also claimed to have hit the containership MSC Aby (110,387 dwt / 9,648 TEU) with two drones and a missile in the northern Red Sea. Security consultants dismissed this report as likely false. According to MSC’s schedule, the vessel was due to call at Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Lloyd’s List published new figures showing that vessel traffic in the Red Sea increased in August to its highest level since January 2024. The rise came mostly from LPG carriers, bulkers, and tankers, though container lines continued to reroute ships around Africa to avoid the threat.

The latest incident also followed an Israeli airstrike last week that killed the Houthis’ self-declared prime minister Ahmed al-Rahawi, along with several other officials.

UKMTO confirmed that this incident marked the 30th attack in 2025. In 2024, there were more than 100 incidents. After the sinking of two bulk carriers, Magic Seas and Eternity C, in July, activity slowed down. But recent incidents indicate that the group is active again.

Reference: AP News

Source: Maritime Shipping News