A cargo ship was attacked Sunday off the coast of Yemen in the Red Sea, according to a report from the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO). The incident occurred approximately 30 nautical miles southwest of Hodeida, a port city controlled by the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels.
The UKMTO stated that the vessel reported being "under attack by unknown armed assailants." A skiff approached the bulk carrier and opened fire. The ship's security guards returned fire, and the skiff then retreated to a larger vessel about two nautical miles away, which had its automatic identification system switched off.
The cargo ship and its crew were reported safe following the attack. Authorities are currently investigating the incident. No group has immediately claimed responsibility.
The Houthis have previously threatened to resume attacks on shipping, though such attacks have not been consistent. The rebels have previously launched drones and missiles at ships navigating the narrow Bab al-Mandab Strait, a key maritime chokepoint at the southern end of the Red Sea. These past attacks by the Houthis forced some shipping companies to reroute their vessels around the southern tip of Africa instead of using the Suez Canal.
In a separate incident, suspected pirates attacked a vessel 76 nautical miles south of the port town of Balhaf in southeastern Yemen on July 1. Four armed individuals on a small craft caused minor damage to the ship's bridge, according to the UKMTO. Somali pirates have also been active in the Gulf of Aden recently.