Two explosions reported near a merchant ship sailing in the Red Sea

12 Jul. (EUROPA PRESS) –

The captain of a merchant ship sailing in the Red Sea reported two explosions near the ship on Friday, in a new attack by the Houthis from Yemen, although the rebels have not yet commented on the incident.

According to information provided by the British security firm Ambrey, the ship’s captain has reported that a missile has hit waters near the ship, while another has exploded in the air, about half a nautical mile (about 900 meters) away from the merchant ship.

The incident took place about 21 nautical miles (about 39 kilometers) off the Yemeni city of Mocha, according to Ambrey, who said he was “investigating the ship’s affiliation with the Houthi target profile.” He also recommended that ships in the area reduce deck operations as a safety precaution.

The Houthis have carried out dozens of attacks in the Red Sea since the start of Israel’s military offensive against the Gaza Strip following the attacks carried out on October 7 by the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) and other Palestinian factions, which left nearly 1,200 dead and some 240 kidnapped, according to reports provided by the Israeli authorities.

The Iranian-backed rebels have controlled Yemen’s capital Sanaa and parts of the north and west of the country since 2015. Since Israel’s offensive on the Palestinian enclave, they have carried out numerous attacks on ships with some connection to Israel. They have also attacked US and British ships and other strategic assets in response to their bombing of Yemen.