Houthi Drone Strikes Ship in the Red Sea Amid Rising Tensions

A Houthi drone attacked a ship in the Red Sea, marking a significant escalation amid regional tensions linked to the Israel-Hamas conflict.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — A drone launched by Yemen’s Houthi rebels hit a ship in the Red Sea on Tuesday, marking a worrying turn of events, according to the British military.

This incident, along with another failed attempt, shows that the Houthis are now targeting commercial ships, marking their first attacks on such vessels in weeks.

This comes at a time when tensions are high over the Israel-Hamas conflict, which could pull the region deeper into turmoil.

The attacks are happening while tensions are escalating between Israel and the Houthis.

This includes Israel sending its ground forces into Lebanon after airstrikes killed some important Hezbollah leaders, including Hassan Nasrallah.

The Houthis had threatened to step up their attacks on Israel just a day before, even going as far as to say they downed a U.S. drone over their territory.

The first attack happened about 110 kilometers (70 miles) off the coast of Hodeida, where the captain of a nearby ship saw four “splashes,” likely from missiles or drones trying to hit his ship, as noted by the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center.

After that, a second attack was reported, with a private intelligence firm confirming that two separate strikes took place.

The UKMTO later said that one ship got damaged when a drone hit a ballast tank, which is important for keeping a ship afloat. This is a tactic the Houthis have used before to disable ships.

Even though the Houthis haven’t said who did it, it’s common for them to wait before admitting to attacks.

The Red Sea has become a battleground for ships, with the Houthis actively targeting over 80 merchant vessels since the Gaza war started in October.

Their attacks have led to the seizing of one ship, the sinking of two others, and the deaths of four sailors.

Many of the missiles and drones have been stopped by a U.S.-led coalition patrolling the area, protecting both military and civilian ships from harm.

The Houthis say they’re hitting ships with ties to Israel, the U.S., or the U.K., hoping to make Israel stop its military actions in Gaza.

But many of the ships they hit are not involved in this conflict, including those going to Iran, making it unclear what their real goals are.

The last time a Houthi attack on a ship was reported was on September 2.

Recently, the Houthis also claimed to have attacked American warships, firing missiles and drones at U.S. naval ships, which were all stopped by Navy destroyers.

As tensions keep rising, the Houthis’ attacks on Israel have led to Israeli airstrikes on Hodeida, showing a dangerous situation that could make maritime security in the Red Sea even more unstable.