Two Ships Near Hodeidah Port in Yemen Targeted by Missile and Drone Attacks

Maritime security agencies and sources monitoring the Middle East reported that two ships were damaged after being hit by a missile and a drone near Hodeidah port in Yemen on early Tuesday, October 2. The UK Maritime Trade Operations agency stated that one of the two ships, a Panama-flagged oil tanker, was targeted by a maritime drone 100 kilometers northwest of Hodeidah. This ship had previously reported observing suspicious movements and splashes of water nearby on four occasions. A maritime security source indicated that these movements were likely attempts for a missile attack. The second ship, a Liberia-flagged bulk carrier, was damaged after being struck by a missile approximately 97 nautical miles northwest of Hodeidah. The ship's owning company reported that the bulk carrier was heading towards the Suez Canal. According to Reuters, both ships reported that their crews were safe. Authorities are investigating these two attacks, and no group has claimed responsibility yet. Nevertheless, Houthi militants in Yemen, supported by the Islamic Republic, have been carrying out multiple attacks on international ships off the Yemeni coast in the Red Sea since last November in support of Hamas, another group backed by the Islamic Republic, in the war against Israel, disrupting international maritime trade. This group has also conducted several missile attacks against Israel. Recently, a group of independent experts responsible for providing an annual report to the UN Security Council stated in their latest report that Houthi militia forces have received tactical and technical training from members of the IRGC, Hezbollah, and Iraqi specialists using fake passports and traveling to Iran, Lebanon, and Iraq. The $20 million damage from Israel's attack on Hodeidah port in Yemen is a result of the Houthis' attack on Tel Aviv. Attacks on the Houthis are occurring 1800 kilometers from Israel; Gallant: 'It's not too far for us.' Two oil tankers in the Red Sea were targeted in two separate attacks. A missile attack on a commercial ship near Yemen has been confirmed, with no damages reported. An Israeli attack on positions of the Iranian-backed Houthis in Hodeidah.