A Commercial Ship Caught Fire Off the Coast of Aden, Yemen After Being Struck by Rockets

The British Maritime Trade Operations Agency reported on Thursday, June 14, that a commercial ship caught fire due to the "impact of two unidentified projectiles (rockets)" 158 nautical miles east of the port of Aden in Yemen. A British security company, Ambrey, also announced that a ship traveling from Malaysia to Venice, Italy, reported an immediate contact regarding a missile strike. This incident occurred approximately 200 nautical miles east of the port of Aden. Ambrey stated that its assessments indicate that the attack on this ship is similar to the "targeting records of the Houthis." Meanwhile, the U.S. Fifth Fleet did not immediately respond to Reuters' request for confirmation. Yemeni Houthi militants claimed responsibility on Wednesday, June 13, for missile and small boat attacks on a Greek cargo ship near the port of Hudaydah in the Red Sea. This proxy group of the Islamic Republic, which controls the capital and the most populated areas of Yemen, has been attacking international ships in the Red Sea region since last November in support of Hamas, another Tehran-backed group. They have sunk one ship and seized another, and in another attack, they killed three sailors. The U.S. and Britain have responded to Houthi attacks with retaliatory operations since last February. The ongoing confrontation of the U.S. military with the "malicious behavior" of the Iranian-backed Houthis continues. A Greek cargo ship in the Red Sea was targeted by Houthi attacks. The U.S. has sanctioned several individuals and companies for "aiding the Houthis, Hezbollah, and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps." The Houthis' continued sabotage in international waters includes attacks on two cargo ships belonging to Switzerland and Germany.