Two vessels attacked off Yemen's Hodeidah: UKMTO

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
15 Mar 2024 07:07

The UK Maritime Trade Operations says a vessel sustained some damage after being hit by a missile 76 nautical miles west of the coastal Yemeni city of Hodeidah.

This image obtained from the US Central Command (CENTCOM) on March 6, 2024, shows the Barbados-flagged, Liberian-owned bulk carrier after it was hit by an anti-ship ballistic missile. (Photo by Handout / US Central Command (CENTCOM) / AFP)

The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) has said that two vessels have been attacked west and southwest of the coastal Yemeni city of Hodeidah, with one merchant vessel having been damaged as a result of the attacks.

The first vessel has been attacked 50 nautical miles (58 miles) southwest of Hodeidah, the UKMTO said. The owner of the vessel has said two missiles had flown over the ship and detonated in the distance, adding that the crew was safe and the ship was not damaged.

The ship continued its way to the next port of call, the UKTMO said on X.

UKMTO WARNING INCIDENT 051-ATTACK UPDATE 001https://t.co/fX3hWupPWO #Marsecurity #MarSec pic.twitter.com/pBVZYQo95P
— United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) (@UK_MTO) March 15, 2024

The second vessel has been attacked 76 nautical miles west of Hodeidah and has been damaged by a missile that hit it, the UK authority mentioned.

"A merchant vessel has reported that they have been struck by a missile and the vessel has sustained some damage. The crew are reported safe and the vessel is proceeding to its next port of call," the UKMTO said.

UKMTO WARNING INCIDENT 052-ATTACK UPDATE 001https://t.co/fX3hWupi7g #Maritimesecurity #MarSec pic.twitter.com/HoGO3fmxTE
— United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) (@UK_MTO) March 15, 2024

The reported incidents came shortly after the US-UK aggression launched more than a dozen airstrikes on several districts in multiple Yemeni governorates. On early Friday, the US-British aggression launched three airstrikes on the coastal district of Abs on the Red Sea in Hajjah province northwest of Yemen, hours after the joint aggression targeted the neighboring Hodeidah province with 11 airstrikes.

Al Mayadeen's correspondent reported that the American-British aggression targeted the areas of targeting the areas of al-Jah, al-Faza, Ras Issa, and Hodeidah Airport.

He indicated that the American-British aggression targeted al-Jah with four airstrikes, Hodeidah Airport with one airstrike, al-Faza with two airstrikes, and Ras Issa with four. The attacks came one day after the US and the UK targeted Hodeidah Airport with four waves of strikes.

The hostile strikes came shortly after the leader of the Yemeni Ansar Allah movement, Sayyed Abdul al-Malik al-Houthi, announced that the Yemeni Armed Forces (YAF) are heading toward expanding the scope of their operations conducted against the Israeli occupation forces' war on the Gaza Strip.

He affirmed that the YAF is heading toward launching attacks on vessels in the Indian Ocean that have been redirected toward the Cape of Good Hope Route.

Al-Houthi confirmed that "Yemen has presented 34 martyrs in support of our people in Gaza, and we are honored to offer martyrs in this sacred battle."

The Ansar Allah leader highlighted that during the past week, the YAF "carried out 12 operations targeting ships and warships in the Red Sea, the Arabian Sea, and the Gulf of Aden, reaching unprecedented extents."

He also indicated that the YAF launched 58 ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and drones in the aforementioned areas.

Sayyed al-Houthi stressed that "operations targeting Israeli-affiliated vessels and ships affiliated with the American and British sides are ongoing with high effectiveness," underscoring that any US action in the region "will not be able to stop us from supporting Gaza."

The Yemeni leader made it clear that the YAF's naval operations will continue as long as the aggression against Gaza persists.

"American and British obstinacy have one outcome, which is the widening of the conflict and war at the regional level," he added.