Suspected Attack by Yemen's Houthis Strikes Ship in Red Sea

File photo: A handout photo made available by the Yemeni Al-Joumhouriya TV shows the last part of the British-registered cargo vessel, Rubymar, sinking in the Red Sea off the coast of Yemen, 03 March 2024 (issued 07 March 2024). EPA/Yemeni Al-Joumhouriya TV

A suspected attack by Yemen's Houthis struck a ship in the Red Sea early Friday, causing damage to the vessel, authorities said.
The attack off the port city of Hodeidah comes as part of the militant group’s campaign against shipping over Israel's ongoing war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip, The Associated Press said.
The British military's United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said the ship reported being "struck by a missile."
"The vessel has sustained some damage," the UKMTO added. It described the crew as being "safe" and said the ship was continuing on its way, suggesting the damage wasn't severe. The private security firm Ambrey also reported the attack.
The Houthis did not immediately claim the attack, though it typically takes the group hours to acknowledge their assaults.
The Houthis have attacked ships since November, saying they want to force Israel to end its offensive in Gaza.
The ships targeted by the Houthis, however, have increasingly had little or no connection to Israel, the US or other nations involved in the war. The Houthis have also fired missiles toward Israel, though they have largely fallen short or been intercepted.
Earlier in March, a Houthi missile struck a commercial ship in the Gulf of Aden, killing three of its crew members and forcing survivors to abandon the vessel. It marked the first fatal attack by the Houthis on shipping.
Other recent Houthi actions include an attack last month on a cargo ship carrying fertilizer, the Rubymar, which later sank after drifting for several days.