Houthi campaign returns in earnest

The Houthi campaign against merchant shipping is back in earnest following a pause at the start of the month.

Splash reported yesterday on an attack on the Maersk Sentosa in the Gulf of Aden, far away from the Yemeni coastline – the first confirmed attack in July.  The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said that the vessel had reported an explosion nearby but no damage or injuries to the crew. 

Today, the UKMTO has carried details of a second ship targeted, this time in the narrow Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

The captain reported explosions off the ship’s side. The “vessel and all crew are safe,” the UKMTO said without revealing the ship’s name. The vessel is proceeding to its next port of call.

The Houthis have since November employed a variety of tactics, including missile launches, drone attacks, and the use of unmanned surface vessels in their campaign against merchant shipping demanding an end to Israel’s war in Gaza.