Yemen's Houthi rebels suspected of firing missiles at a container ship

Two missiles suspected to have been fired by Yemen's Houthi rebels targeted a Liberian-flagged container ship in the Gulf of Aden late Friday, splashing down nearby without causing any damage, authorities said.

The attack comes after the Houthis repeatedly assaulted and then boarded a Greek-flagged oil tanker in the nearby Red Sea, planting explosives on it they later detonated. That attack, the worst in weeks, risked a major oil spill as the rebels' campaign disrupts the USD 1 trillion in goods that pass through the Red Sea each year over the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip, as well as halting some aid shipments to conflict-ravaged Sudan and Yemen.

The attack Friday saw two missiles exploding in close proximity to the vessel some 240 kilometres east of Aden, the British military's United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations centre said.

The ship reports all crew are safe and proceeding to next port of call, the UKMTO said. Investigations are ongoing.

The Joint Maritime Information