ADEN, Yemen, July 6 (Xinhua) -- A Liberian-flagged commercial vessel came under attack Sunday by Houthi forces using explosive-laden boats while transiting the Red Sea off Yemen's port city of Hodeidah, a Yemeni government official told Xinhua.
The bulk carrier MAGIC SEAS, with a crew of 23 aboard, was initially approached by four boats carrying Houthi gunmen who demanded the vessel change course toward Houthi-controlled ports, a local senior official of Yemen's pro-government naval forces said on condition of anonymity.
When the ship's crew refused to comply with the demands, a brief firefight erupted between the armed militants and the vessel's security team, the official said.
The commercial ship continued on its original course, but at approximately 2:25 p.m. local time (1125 GMT), it came under assault by four Houthi explosive-laden boats. Two of the explosive boats successfully struck the ship's hull and detonated, while the remaining two exploded before reaching their target.
The fertilizer-carrying vessel sustained significant structural damage in the attack and is now immobilized and on fire in Red Sea waters. Despite the severity of the assault, no crew members were reported injured, according to the official.
Earlier in the day, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said in a statement posted on social media platform X that a merchant vessel was attacked by several armed small boats approximately 51 nautical miles southwest of Hodeidah.
The small boats used small arms and rocket-propelled grenades to attack the merchant vessel, and armed personnel onboard the vessel returned fire, the UKMTO said.
The UKMTO has issued a navigational warning urging all vessels transiting the area to exercise extreme caution and report any suspicious activity immediately. ■
