Missile hits ship as U.S. destroys Houthi rockets

A missile struck a vessel transiting the Gulf of Aden Thursday, causing a fire on board, two maritime agencies said.

The latest attack on commercial vessels off Yemen came a day after American forces launched “self-defense strikes” against missiles and launch positions of the country’s Houthi rebels that posed threats to commercial shipping and naval forces in the Red Sea.

“A vessel was attacked by two missiles, resulting in a fire onboard,” the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations said, adding that “coalition forces are responding.”

Security firm Ambrey also reported a fire aboard the Palau-flagged, British-owned general cargo ship following two missile strikes southeast of Yemen’s Aden.

The ship “appeared to be headed from Map Ta Phut, Thailand, and headed in the direction of the Red Sea,” Ambrey said.

No one has claimed responsibility for the attack.

The Iran-backed Houthis, who control much of war-torn Yemen, have been targetting ships passing the vital shipping lane since November in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza during the Israel-Hamas war.

Before dawn Wednesday Sanaa time, “US Central Command forces conducted four self-defense strikes against seven mobile Houthi anti-ship cruise missiles and one mobile anti-ship ballistic missile launcher that were prepared to launch towards the Red Sea,” CENTCOM said in a statement on social media platform X.

The military said it also shot down a “one-way attack unmanned aircraft system.”

“CENTCOM forces identified the missiles, launchers and UAS originating from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen and determined that they presented an imminent threat to merchant vessels and to the US Navy ships in the region,” CENTCOM said.

On Tuesday, the Pentagon said a US drone crashed off the coast of Yemen after apparently being struck by a missile fired by Houthi rebels.

The Red Sea attacks have raised insurance premiums for shipping companies, forcing many to avoid the Red Sea, a vital route that normally carries about 12 percent of global maritime trade.