Drone attack on British ship in Red Sea

A British cargo ship under the Barbados flag encountered minor damage due to a drone attack in the Red Sea, around 105 kilometres west of Hodeida, an important Yemeni port held by the Houthi rebels. The attack caused minor damage to the ship’s port side, as reported by the security company Ambrey. This incident escalates pressures in a region already on edge, coinciding with a United States military action targeting two marine drones laden with explosives, operated by the Houthis. The U.S. military has expressed that these operations seek to protect Red Sea navigation against threats posed by the Houthis, who are backed by Iran.

This incident unfolds against the backdrop of intensified efforts to negotiate peace in the Middle East, stressed by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s visit to the region for talks aimed at brokering a truce in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.