Maritime security firm Ambrey reported on Monday, that a vessel flying the Liberian flag was attacked near Yemen. The firm noted that the vessel had been identified as “Israeli-affiliated” prior to the incident.
A Liberian-flagged vessel was targeted off Yemen, maritime security firm Ambrey said Monday, adding that the vessel had been listed as “Israeli-affiliated.”
“The vessel was listed as operated by the Israeli company ZIM Integrated Shipping Services,” Ambrey said, but added that “this may have been an out-of-date affiliation.”
It said the “container ship was targeted approximately 88 miles (163 kilometers) southeast of Aden, Yemen,” adding that it was en route from Singapore to Djibouti.
“The vessel was reportedly struck and issued a distress signal,” the firm said.
“It remained unconfirmed whether the vessel was directly impacted or sustained damage due to nearby explosions.”
No group immediately claimed an attack, but the report came amid a series of attacks from Yemen on shipping through the vital Red Sea route.
Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis have been targeting ships said to be affiliated with Israel since November in a campaign they say is in solidarity with the war-torn Gaza Strip.
The United States and Britain have since January launched repeated strikes in response to the attacks by the Houthis, who have since declared they consider American and British ships to be legitimate targets.
Container shipping through the Red Sea dropped by around one-third in the first week of 2024 compared with the same period last year, according to the International Monetary Fund.
With AFP
