Tanker and merchant vessel report missile, drone attacks in Red Sea

Two ships, a Panama-flagged oil tanker and a merchant vessel, came under attack in the Red Sea off Yemen on Monday with the tanker being struck by two projectiles, British maritime agencies reported.

Military authorities confirmed the tanker was attacked with missiles, security firm Ambrey said, while maritime sources told Reuters the tanker was the Blue Lagoon I.

No casualties were reported in either incident.

The tanker attack took place some 70 nautical miles northwest of Yemen’s port of Saleef, Ambrey and the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said.

The Greek manager of the Suezmax class Blue Lagoon I, Sea Trade Marine SA, was not immediately available for comment.

Ambrey “assessed that the vessel was targeted due to company affiliation with a vessel calling Israeli ports,” it said.

Houthi have launched attacks on international shipping near Yemen since last November in solidarity with Palestinians in the war between Israel and Hamas.

In a second incident, a drone hit a merchant vessel some 50 nautical miles off Yemen’s Hodeidah, a Red Sea port just south of Saleef, Ambrey and UKMTO reported.

The vessel is proceeding to its next port of call, UKMTO said.