Two vessels were attacked in the Red Sea off the Yemeni port city of Hodeidah, and one of them suffered damage, Reuters reported, citing the British Maritime Agency.
The vessel was 97 nautical miles from Hodeidah when it was attacked by an unmanned vessel that struck its port side and caused some damage, with faint smoke rising from the stricken vessel, the Office of UK Maritime Merchant Operations (UKMTO).
Both ship and crew are safe. It is sailing to its next port, the organization added.
Three missiles exploded near another merchant vessel, 70 nautical miles from Hodeidah, after the vessel was earlier attacked by three small vessels, the Office of Maritime Commercial Operations and security firm Ambri said separately. (Ambrey). The first rocket exploded around 8am GMT, and the other two were heard 45 minutes later.
Earlier this morning, an unmanned boat collided twice with a vessel, and the crews of two other boats opened fire on it, the British Service also reported. Both the vessel and the crew remained unharmed and continued their voyage, added “Ambri“.
So far, no one has claimed responsibility for the attacks.
Since November, Yemen's Houthi rebels have been carrying out drone and missile attacks on ships sailing in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. So far they have sunk two ships, captured another, and at least three sailors have been killed.
The group claims the attacks are in solidarity with Palestinians affected by Israel's war on the Gaza Strip.
The attacks disrupted global trade, forcing merchant ship owners to divert vessels away from the Suez Canal, and prompted retaliatory strikes by the US and Britain since February.
According to a report by the US Defense Intelligence Agency, at least 65 countries and major energy and shipping companies have been affected by the Houthi attacks.