A cargo ship wasโค struck and abandoned in the Gulf of Aden offโ Yemen, according to reports โคreceived tuesday. The vessel, reportedly carrying oilโ products, caught fire following the attack,โค and its crew evacuated.
The โincident occurs amid โheightened tensions in the Red Sea stemming from attacks by Houthiโ rebels targeting commercial shipping. The Houthis claim these โฃattacks are intended toโข pressure Israel to halt its military operations. This latest strike adds to a campaign that has already disrupted โglobal โขtrade routes, โimpacted maritime security, and resulted in casualties. Approximately $1 trillionโค in goods transited the Redโ Sea annually before the recent escalation.
The ship’s owners and operators, listed as being based in โคIndia,โค have not yetโค commented.The Israeli โฃmilitary stated it was aware of the incident โขbut did not conduct โany operations in the area.
since the ceasefire began on October 10, the Houthis โคhave not claimed responsibility for any โattacks, though theirโข campaign โhas resultedโ in the sinkingโ of four ships and the deaths of at leastโ nine mariners. Their โขmost recent โconfirmed attack, onโข September 29, โขtargeted the Dutch-flagged cargo ship Minervagracht, resultingโฃ in one fatality and โขone injury among the crew.
Beyond attacks on shipping,the Houthis have also increased threats against Saudi Arabia andโฃ are โholding dozensโ of workers from U.N.agencies and aidโฃ groups, allegingโข they โare spies – accusations the organizations vehemently deny.