Red Sea Merchant Ship Attack

A merchant ship was attacked in the Red Sea off the coast of Yemen by armed men using guns and rocket-propelled grenades. The United Kingdom — Naval co-operation and guidance for shipping center reported the incident, stating the vessel's armed security team returned fire. Maritime security firm Ambrey confirmed the attack by eight skiffs and two unmanned surface vehicles, noting the vessel matched the Houthis's target profile. This incident breaks a self-imposed ceasefire by the Houthis, which had paused maritime attacks after a US-led military campaign in mid-March. The Houthis has previously targeted over 100 merchant vessels between November 2023 and January 2025, sinking two and killing four sailors, in what they claim is an effort to pressure Israel to stop its war in Gaza. The attacks have severely disrupted global trade through the Red Sea, a route for roughly $1 trillion in goods annually. Tensions in the Middle East, including the Israel-Hamas conflict, an Iran-Israel war, and US airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, provide a backdrop to these maritime assaults. The ongoing civil war in Yemen between the Houthis and the Saudi Arabia-backed exiled government also contributes to regional instability.