Merchant ship damaged by drone attack in Red Sea: UK agency

DUBAI: A merchant ship was damaged by a drone attack in the Red Sea near Yemen early Sunday morning, though no injuries were reported, according to the British maritime security agency UKMTO.

“The Master of a merchant vessel reports being hit by uncrewed aerial system (UAS), resulting in damage to the vessel. All crew members are reported safe, and the vessel is proceeding to its next port of call,” said a bulletin from UKMTO, which is run by the British navy.

On Saturday, the US Central Command, which has carried out retaliatory strikes against the Huthis over their attacks on shipping, said it had destroyed three nautical drones belonging to the group over the past 24 hours.

It also said the group had launched three anti-ship missiles into the Gulf of Aden, but no injuries or significant damage were reported.

The Houthi militia, which controls the most populous parts of Yemen and is aligned with Iran, has attacked ships off its coast for months, saying it is acting in solidarity with Palestinians fighting Israel in Gaza.

Houthi fighters have launched drone and missile attacks in the Bab al-Mandab Strait and Gulf of Aden, forcing shippers since November to take longer and more costly journeys around southern Africa.

The United States and Britain have carried out strikes against Houthi targets in response to the attacks.