Liberian-flagged Container Ship Damaged in Suspected Houthi Drone Strike in Red Sea
A container ship en route to China was hit by a suspected drone strike by Yemen’s Houthi rebels off the coast of Hodeida. The incident highlights ongoing tensions in the Red Sea affecting international shipping routes.
A Liberian-flagged container ship bound for China was damaged in a suspected drone strike by Yemen’s Houthi rebels in the Red Sea early Sunday, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) center. The incident occurred off the coast of Hodeida, a port city controlled by the Houthis. The vessel’s crew was reported safe, though the extent of the damage is still under investigation.
The attack follows a pattern of Houthi assaults on maritime traffic in the Red Sea, a critical route for trading among Asian, Middle Eastern, and European markets. The rebels have claimed these attacks are aimed at imposing an economic cost on Israel and its allies amid the ongoing Gaza conflict. To date, the Houthis have executed more than 60 such attacks, resulting in the deaths of at least four sailors and substantial disruptions to international shipping.
The drone strike happened as the U.S. aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower returned home after an eight-month deployment in response to Houthi aggressions. The USS Theodore Roosevelt is scheduled to replace it following an exercise in the Indo-Pacific region.
This latest incident underscores the broader geopolitical tensions in the region, which have seen significant military and economic consequences for various stakeholders involved.