A commercial ship traveling through the Red Sea came under siege Wednesday, Aug. 21. The British military suspects Yemen’s Houthi rebels are behind the attack, which would be the latest in an ongoing campaign by the group targeting ships traveling through the trade route.
According to officials, the attack involved men on small boats firing small arms and hitting the ship with three projectiles.
The vessel lost all power and is no longer under command, meaning it is unable to maneuver properly in the waters. No casualties were reported.
The Houthis already sunk two ships in their efforts to disrupt the channel. Group leaders said their attacks are a direct response to the Israel-Hamas war.
In July, the Houthis admitted responsibility for a drone attack in Tel Aviv that killed one person.
The U.S. believes Iran is “deeply involved” in Houthi attacks, though Tehran denies it.
This latest attack in the Red Sea comes as the U.S. continues to raise concerns over a broader regional conflict being imminent.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said “time is of the essence” for Israel and Hamas to reach a ceasefire deal to prevent escalations.
Blinken spent the past several days in the Middle East trying to hammer out an agreement, which Israel had agreed to but Hamas did not. Blinken left Egypt still with no deal, no return of hostages and no relief in Gaza.
