Houthi rebels attack Malta-flagged bulk carrier

Houthi rebels have claimed an attack on a merchant ship in the Red Sea.

The latest attack, which took place west of the port city of Hodeida, was carried out using a seaborne improvised explosive device, according to United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations.

"The nature of the attack is reported as a waterborne improvised explosive device," the UKMTO said. 

"The vessel and crew are reported as safe, and the vessel is proceeding to their next port of call."

In a prerecorded message released on Thursday night, Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said the rebels used a drone boat in the attack on the vessel. He identified the ship as the Seajoy, a Malta-flagged bulk carrier.

It was targeted for violations of the Houthi “ban” on visiting “the ports of occupied Palestine by the company that owns the ship,” Saree added.

Since January the US and Britain have launched repeated strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen in response to the ship attacks.

On Thursday, US military forces destroyed one Houthi radar site in a rebel-run part of Yemen, US Central Command claimed on social media platform X.