A ballistic missile fired by Houthi rebels has hit a US-owned ship just off the coast of Yemen in the latest attack on commercial vessels in the region.
Monday's attack on the Gibraltar Eagle further escalated tensions gripping the Red Sea after American-led strikes on the rebels.
It came less than a day after the rebels fired an anti-ship cruise missile towards an American destroyer in the Red Sea.
The Houthi attacks, which come amid Israel's war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip, have disrupted global shipping in a crucial corridor bringing Asian and Middle Eastern energy and cargo shipments to the Suez Canal and onward to Europe.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, which oversees Middle Eastern waters, said the attack happened 177 kilometres south-east of Aden.
It said the ship's captain reported that the "port side of [the] vessel [was] hit from above by a missile".
Private security firms Ambrey and Dryad Global told The Associated Press the vessel was the Gibraltar Eagle, a Marshall Islands-flagged bulk carrier.
The US military's Central Command later acknowledged the strike.
"The ship has reported no injuries or significant damage and is continuing its journey," Central Command said.
Houthi military spokesman Brigadier General Yahya Saree said the group was responsible for the strike.
"The Yemeni armed forces consider all American and British ships and warships participating in the aggression against our country as hostile targets," he said in a television address aired on Monday night.
US and UK forces hit Houthi targets across Yemen last week in retaliation for months of Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping. Australia also played a supporting role in the strikes.
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said the strikes were unrelated to the war in Gaza.
Previously, the Houthis said their attacks targeted Israeli-linked vessels in response to Israel's invasion of Gaza.
Speaking in parliament, Mr Sunak said the UK's "limited" strikes were a direct response to Houthi attacks on international shipping.
"We shouldn't fall for their malign narrative that this is about Israel and Gaza," he said.
"They target ships from around the world. We continue to work towards a sustainable ceasefire [in Gaza] to get more aid to civilians."
By AP/ABC
Original article link: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-01-16/houthi-rebels-strike-us-ship-yemen-coast-israel-gaza-hamas-war/103323120
