UK maritime body reports explosion off Yemen in key Bab el Mandeb Strait
The UKMTO stated that the drone activity originated from Yemen, and called on vessels in the vicinity to exercise caution.
The Houthis did not immediately acknowledge the incident. / Photo: Reuters Archive
A “potential explosion” has struck a key shipping route off the coast of Yemen, the British maritime organisation says.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations on Sunday issued a brief warning to shippers that the incident happened in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait that separates East Africa from the Arabian Peninsula.
The UKMTO said drone activity also had been reported in the area.
The Bab el Mandeb links the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden. The area has seen a series of attacks in recent weeks attributed to Yemen's Iranian-backed Houthi rebels, who have also launched missiles and drones toward Israel over its war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
The Houthis did not immediately acknowledge the incident.
Area of conflict
The incident is the latest in a series of attacks in Middle Eastern waters since Israel began bombing Palestinians in Gaza after the October 7 Hamas attack.
An Israeli-linked cargo ship was seized last month by the Houthi group, an ally of Iran which controls Yemen's Red Sea coast.
The group had previously fired ballistic missiles and armed drones at Israel and vowed to target more Israeli vessels.
Last week, a United States Navy warship responded to a distress call from an Israeli-managed commercial tanker in the Gulf of Aden that had been seized by armed individuals.
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