The oil products tanker Sounion was targeted by two small boats and hit by three projectiles in the Red Sea near Yemen on Wednesday, resulting in damage to the ship but no casualties, according to the Greek shipping ministry and the UK maritime agency UKMTO.
Houthi militants have been conducting a series of assaults on international shipping close to Yemen since November last year, in support of Palestinians amid the conflict between Israel and Hamas. The Sounion reported encountering two small boats with approximately 15 individuals on board and mentioned a brief exchange of small arms fire during the incident, which occurred 77 nautical miles (142km) west of Yemen's port of Hodeidah, as stated by the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations. The vessel, a Greek-flagged ship with a crew of 25, lost its maneuverability due to the attack, UKMTO added, and the Greek shipping ministry confirmed the ship had sustained damage. There were no reports of injuries among the crew, which included two Russians and the rest Filipinos.
British security firm Ambrey reported another incident in the same region, noting that a vessel had been fired upon by small arms from two skiffs in a previous incident 10NM further south, though the ship involved was not named. Delta Tankers, the operator of the Sounion, acknowledged the occurrence of a hostile incident in the Red Sea, which led to minor damage. The crew and vessel remain safe and unharmed, with the ship currently drifting as the crew assesses the damage before continuing its journey.
These attacks on shipping have prompted US and British retaliatory strikes against Houthi territories and have disrupted global trade, forcing ship owners to reroute vessels away from the Red Sea and Suez Canal, opting instead for the longer route around the southern tip of Africa.
