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A merchant vessel was attacked four times 45 nautical miles to south of the Yemen Red Sea port of al-Mukha, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), a detachment of the Royal Navy, reported on August 9.
In an advisory notice, the agency said that the vessel was first attacked with rocket-propelled grenades (RPG) fired from small boats.
“The Master reports an attack by an RPG exploding in close proximity to the vessel from two small craft, white and black in color, each with four persons on board. The persons on board the small craft are reported to be wearing white and yellow raincoats,” the UKMTO said.
The second attack saw a missile exploding in close proximity to the vessel, according to the UKMTO, which said that an uncrewed surface vessel (USV) was destroyed by the ship’s Armed Security Team at a close distance during the third attack.
Another missile splashed in the sea later in close proximity to the vessel, the agency added, noting that “the crew and vessel are reported to be safe and are proceeding to the next port of call.”
The Houthis (Ansar Allah) in Yemen have not yet acknowledged the attack reported by the UKMTO, though it typically takes them a few days to issue a claim.
Separately, the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) announced on August 9 that its forces destroyed two anti-ship cruise missiles and one ground control station in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen over the past day. A Houthi USV was also destroyed in the Red Sea, according to the command.
“These weapons presented a clear and imminent threat to U.S. and coalition forces, and merchant vessels in the region,” CENTCOM said in a statement. “This reckless and dangerous behavior by Iranian-backed Houthis continues to threaten regional stability and security.”
Since November, the Houthis, who are backed by Iran, have attacked dozens of vessels affiliated with Israel or owned by the United States and the UK in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea, Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea in response to the Israeli war and siege on the Palestinian enclave of the Gaza Strip.
In addition, the group launched dozens of drones and missiles at Israel and shot down six American-made combat drones over Yemen and nearby waters.
The U.S. and the UK have carried out hundreds of strikes against Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen since January in an attempt to deter the group and degrade its military capabilities, but to no avail. Israel also launched an attack against al-Hodeidah port last month after a deadly Houthi drone strike on the city of Tel Aviv, but was met with more threats by the group.
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