Yemen: Yemen’s Houthi rebels have admitted to carrying out a small-scale attack involving watercraft and missiles, which resulted in a Greek-owned cargo ship requiring rescue after taking on water near the Red Sea port of Hodeidah.
Following the attack on the cargo ship on Wednesday, there were no early reports of casualties. If the owner of the yacht is connected to Israel in any way is unknown.
Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, and its most populated regions have been under the authority of the Iran-backed organization, which is engaged in combat with a coalition led by Saudi Arabia. Since November, it has launched many drone and missile attacks on ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden in an effort to support the Palestinians who are being attacked by Israel in Gaza. In a series of attacks, they have killed three seafarers, taken control of another ship, and sunk one.
The Houthis claimed that after hitting the coal carrier with an unmanned surface boat, drones, and ballistic missiles, the Tutor was severely damaged and in danger of sinking.
According to maritime security company Ambrey, the ship was struck approximately 68 nautical miles (126 km) southwest of Hodeidah on Wednesday.
In a statement following the incident, which marked the Houthis’ first use of a boat as a weapon, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) stated that “the impact of the [unmanned surface vessel] caused severe flooding and damage to the engine room.”
The Liberian-flagged Tutor was taking on water and was not under the crew’s control, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, which serves as a liaison between ship operators and military and security services. This was announced on Wednesday following damage to the engine room of the vessel.
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