Yemeni's Houthis said they attacked the container ship MSC " Orion" (MSC Orion) with a drone in the Indian Ocean as part of their ongoing campaign against international shipping in solidarity with the Palestinians against Israel's military actions in Gaza, Reuters reported, quoted by BTA.
The Portuguese-flagged MSC "Orion" is sailing from the port of Sines, Portugal to Salalah, Oman and her registered owner is "Zodiac Maritime" (Zodiac Maritime), according to data from the shipping tracking site lseg.com.
"Zodiac Maritime" is partially owned by Israeli businessman Eyal Ofer, Reuters notes, adding that the company has not yet responded to a request for comment.
Since November, Iran-backed Houthi fighters have launched repeated drone and missile strikes in the Red Sea, the Bab el Mandeb Strait and the Gulf of Aden, forcing transport companies to divert cargo to longer and more expensive routes around South Africa and heightens fears that the war between Israel and "Hamas" could spread and destabilize the Middle East, Reuters points out.
In March, the group's leader said it was expanding its area of operation to prevent Israeli-linked ships from crossing the Indian Ocean to the Cape of Good Hope.
The Iran-linked group also targeted the merchant ship "Cyclades". (Cyclades), as well as two US destroyers in the Red Sea, its spokesman said in a televised address early this morning.
The British maritime security company "Ambri" (Ambrey) last night reported that three missiles had been fired at a Maltese-flagged container ship as it traveled from Djibouti to the Saudi city of Jeddah. The Hussites stated that the ship "Cyclades" was sailing this route when they attacked the vessel.
According to "Ambri" the ship came under attack because the company that operated it continued to trade with Israel.