Vessel Near Yemen Said to Report Drones, Explosions in Red Sea 

A boat is anchored on the beach of the Arabian Sea near the Bab al-Mandab Strait, in the port city of Aden, Yemen, 22 December 2023 (issued 24 December 2023). (EPA)
A boat is anchored on the beach of the Arabian Sea near the Bab al-Mandab Strait, in the port city of Aden, Yemen, 22 December 2023 (issued 24 December 2023). (EPA)
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Vessel Near Yemen Said to Report Drones, Explosions in Red Sea 

A boat is anchored on the beach of the Arabian Sea near the Bab al-Mandab Strait, in the port city of Aden, Yemen, 22 December 2023 (issued 24 December 2023). (EPA)
A boat is anchored on the beach of the Arabian Sea near the Bab al-Mandab Strait, in the port city of Aden, Yemen, 22 December 2023 (issued 24 December 2023). (EPA)

Two explosions in the Red Sea were reported by a vessel sailing off the coast of Yemen on Tuesday shortly after two unmanned aircraft were sighted, a British maritime authority said.

The explosions occurred around 5 miles from the vessel in an area of the Red Sea 50 miles from the port of Hodeidah on Yemen's west coast, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said in an advisory.

The identity of the vessel, details of the cargo onboard or where it was sailing to or had sailed from were not disclosed.

The UKMTO said the vessel was in contact with coalition forces and that the vessel and crew had been reported safe.

The vessel was said to be continuing its voyage.

The reported incident comes a week after the United States announced a multinational maritime security initiative in the Red Sea in response to attacks on vessels by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi militias.

The militias have attacked commercial vessels sailing the sea since October, a campaign they say is in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza besieged by Israel.

The militias have said they are targeting Israeli-linked vessels and those heading to Israel, warning shipping companies against dealing with Israeli ports. Several shipping lines have suspended operations through the Red Sea waterway in response to the attacks, instead taking the longer journey around Africa.

The Houthis have vowed to continue their attacks until Israeli halts the war and warned that they would attack US warships if they themselves were targeted.

The Houthis have also since fired drones and missiles towards southern Israel.



Kremlin Says It Wants Syria to Swiftly Restore Order after Opposition Attack

Fighters take over the district of Khan al-Assal following fierce fighting between Syrian government forces and opposition forces along with their Turkish-backed allies in the northern Syrian Aleppo province, on November 29, 2024. (Photo by Aaref WATAD / AFP)
Fighters take over the district of Khan al-Assal following fierce fighting between Syrian government forces and opposition forces along with their Turkish-backed allies in the northern Syrian Aleppo province, on November 29, 2024. (Photo by Aaref WATAD / AFP)
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Kremlin Says It Wants Syria to Swiftly Restore Order after Opposition Attack

Fighters take over the district of Khan al-Assal following fierce fighting between Syrian government forces and opposition forces along with their Turkish-backed allies in the northern Syrian Aleppo province, on November 29, 2024. (Photo by Aaref WATAD / AFP)
Fighters take over the district of Khan al-Assal following fierce fighting between Syrian government forces and opposition forces along with their Turkish-backed allies in the northern Syrian Aleppo province, on November 29, 2024. (Photo by Aaref WATAD / AFP)

The Kremlin said on Friday it wanted the Syrian government to restore constitutional order in the Aleppo region as soon as possible after an insurgent offensive there that captured territory for the first time in years.
Russia, a staunch ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, intervened militarily on Assad's side against insurgents in 2015 in its biggest foray in the Middle East since the Soviet Union's collapse, and maintains an airbase and naval facility in Syria.
Opposition led Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group launched an incursion on Wednesday into a dozen towns and villages in the northwestern province of Aleppo, which is controlled by Assad's forces.
It was the first such territorial advance since March 2020 when Russia and Türkiye, which supports the opposition, agreed to a ceasefire that led to the halting of military action in Syria's last major opposition stronghold in the northwest.
Russian and Syrian warplanes bombed an opposition-held area near the border with Türkiye on Thursday to try to push back the insurgents, Syrian army and opposition sources said.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow regarded the attack as a violation of Syria's sovereignty and wanted the authorities to act fast to regain control.
"As for the situation around Aleppo, it is an attack on Syrian sovereignty and we are in favor of the Syrian authorities bringing order to the area and restoring constitutional order as soon as possible," said Peskov.
Asked about unconfirmed Russian Telegram reports that Assad had flown into Moscow for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Peskov said he had "nothing to say" on the matter.