Aden (South24 Center)

A commercial vessel came under attack on Sunday, July 6, while sailing approximately 100 km southwest of Yemen’s Hodeidah Port, near the Bab al-Mandab Strait, in the latest escalation in assaults on Red Sea shipping lanes following a period of relative calm.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported that the incident occurred in an area under the control of the Houthis. It said that multiple small vessels opened fire with small arms and self-propelled grenades at the vessel. It added that the vessel’s armed security team repelled the attack and the situation is ongoing. UKMTO said that relevant authorities are investigating the incident.

British maritime security firm Ambrey stated that the targeted vessel was attacked by eight skiffs while transiting north through the Red Sea. This was followed by another attack involving explosive-laden unmanned surface vessels (USVs).

According to the Associated Press (AP), two USVs struck the vessel, while the onboard security team managed to destroy two other drone boats.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack so far.

AP quoted Ambrey experts as saying the targeted ship "matched the profile of Houthi-designated targets," without offering further details.

UKMTO noted that it would issue further updates as more information becomes available and urged all vessels in the region to remain vigilant and adhere to maritime security guidance.

Since October 2023, the Iran-backed Houthi militia has waged a large-scale campaign against international shipping in the Red Sea, Bab al-Mandab, and Gulf of Aden, targeting dozens of commercial and cargo vessels.

The group claimed that its attacks were in response to the Israeli war on Gaza and the alleged support by owners of the targeted vessels for Israel or its allies. The maritime escalation significantly disrupted global trade and led to record-high shipping costs.

Several ships sustained damage, and major shipping lines such as Maersk and MSC were forced to reroute their vessels around the Cape of Good Hope.

However, the attacks ceased in late January 2025 following a ceasefire agreement in Gaza. At the time, the Houthis announced a halt to strikes on civilian vessels in the Red Sea, while asserting their “right to respond” to any ship flying the Israeli flag or linked to Israel.

Since then, no similar attacks have been recorded on commercial or civilian ships in the strait—until today.

In early May, President Donald Trump announced a halt to the U.S.’ airstrikes on the Houthis under “Operation Rough Rider”, following days of sustained bombardment on the group’s infrastructure and leadership since mid-March, in exchange for a Houthi pledge to stop attacks on vessels.

Since then, no attacks were reported in the Red Sea until today's incident, making this the first such assault in over five months.

The Bab al-Mandab Strait, located between Yemen and Djibouti, is one of the world’s most vital maritime chokepoints, with millions of barrels of oil shipments passing through it daily toward Europe, the U.S., and Asia.