“UKMTO has received a report of an incident 65NM West of Al Hudaydah, Yemen. The Master of a merchant vessel reports being hit by uncrewed aerial system [UAS], resulting in damage to the vessel. All crew members are reported safe, and the vessel is proceeding to its next port of call,” the UK naval authorities wrote on X.
The authorities are investigating the incident, the agency said.
Meanwhile, all the vessels were advised to transit “with caution and report any suspicious activity” to the UK maritime authorities.
Yemen's Houthi rebels vowed in November 2023 to attack any ships associated with Israel until it halts military actions in the Gaza Strip. The attacks prompted the United States to form a multinational coalition, which includes the United Kingdom among others, to protect shipping in the area of the Red Sea, as well as to strike Houthi targets on the ground.