Maersk Container Ship Escapes Drone Attack By Yemen’s Houthi Near Bab Al-Mandab Strait

Maersk, a Danish shipping company, has denied that the Houthi movement in Yemen carried out a drone attack on a Maersk ship that was sailing to Israel.

The Houthis claimed to have carried out a direct drone strike on a Maersk container ship and claimed responsibility for a military operation. Maersk stated that although the ship and crew were unharmed, the Maersk Gibraltar was the target of a missile during its voyage from Salalah to Jeddah.

The incident took place close to the Bab Al-Mandab Strait, where the Houthis claimed that they attacked a Norwegian chemical tanker with missiles. Maersk expressed serious concerns regarding the attacks on the strait, highlighting the danger to the lives of seafarers and the unsustainable effects on international trade.

Yehia Sareea, a spokesman for the Houthi military, stated on Thursday that a drone struck the Maersk container ship after it allegedly ignored warnings.

Speaking anonymously, a U.S. official claimed that the Houthis attempted to stop the Maersk ship with a shot, but it was unsuccessful. The official clarified that no US forces were in the area at the time of the incident.

Later, the attack was confirmed by the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), which described it as a ballistic missile strike that resulted in no damage or casualties. The Houthis hailed the Maersk Gibraltar and threatened more missile attacks, according to CENTCOM. CENTCOM is carefully monitoring the situation even though workers were involved in the incident.

Since the Israel-Hamas conflict began more than two months ago, the Houthis, who are aligned with Iran, have launched drones and missiles at Israel in addition to targeting ships in Red Sea shipping lanes.

These actions have raised concerns regarding a broader dispute in the Middle East. The Houthis say they are carrying out their attacks in support of Palestinians and that they will not stop until Israel terminates its offensive in the Gaza Strip.

Reference: Reuters

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Source: Maritime Shipping News