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Two missiles suspected to have been fired by Yemen's Houthi rebels targeted a Liberian-flagged container ship in the Gulf of Aden late Friday, splashing down nearby without causing any damage, authorities said.
The attack comes after the Houthis repeatedly assaulted and then boarded a Greek-flagged oil tanker in the nearby Red Sea, planting explosives on it they later detonated. That attack, the worst in weeks, risked a major oil spill as the rebels' campaign disrupts the USD 1 trillion in goods that pass through the Red Sea each year over the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip, as well as halting some aid shipments to conflict-ravaged Sudan and Yemen.
The attack Friday saw two missiles “exploding in close proximity to the vessel” some 240 kilometres east of Aden, the British military's United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations centre said.
The ship “reports all crew are safe and proceeding to next port of call,” the UKMTO said. “Investigations are ongoing.”
The Joint Maritime Information Centre, a multinational body overseen by the US Navy, on Saturday identified the vessel targeted as the Liberian-flagged container ship Groton. The Groton came under attack August 3 as well in a similar Houthi assault off Aden that included two missiles fired at the vessel, with one causing minor damage.
The ship “was targeted due to other vessels within its company structure making recent port calls in Israel,” the centre said.
The Houthis did not immediately claim the attack Friday. However, it can take the rebels hours or even days to acknowledge their assaults.
The Houthis have targeted more than 80 vessels with missiles and drones since the war in Gaza started in October. They seized one vessel and sank two in the campaign that also killed four sailors. Other missiles and drones have either been intercepted by a United States-led coalition in the Red Sea or failed to reach their targets.
The rebels maintain that they target ships linked to Israel, the US or the UK to force an end to Israel's campaign against Hamas in Gaza. However, many of the ships attacked have little or no connection to the conflict, including some bound for Iran.
Meanwhile, the US military's Central Command said Saturday it destroyed two drones over Houthi-controlled territory in Yemen.
