Yemen’s Houthi rebels suspected of firing missiles at a container ship

Two missiles suspected to have been fired by Yemen’s Houthi rebels targeted a Liberian-flagged container ship in the Gulf of Aden late Friday, splashing down nearby without causing any damage, authorities said.

The attack Friday saw two missiles “exploding in close proximity to the vessel” some 240 kilometers (150 miles) east of Aden, the British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said.

The ship “reports all crew are safe and proceeding to next port of call,” the UKMTO said. “Investigations are ongoing.”

The Joint Maritime Information Center, a multinational body overseen by the U.S. Navy, on Saturday identified the vessel targeted as the Liberian-flagged container ship Groton. The Groton came under attack Aug. 3 as well in a similar Houthi assault off Aden that included two missiles fired at the vessel, with one causing minor damage.

The ship “was targeted due to other vessels within its company structure making recent port calls in Israel,” the center said.

The Houthis did not immediately claim the attack Friday. However, it can take the rebels hours or even days to acknowledge their assaults.

The rebels maintain that they target ships linked to Israel, the U.S. or the U.K. to force an end to Israel’s campaign against Hamas in Gaza. However, many of the ships attacked have little or no connection to the conflict, including some bound for Iran.

Meanwhile, the U.S. military’s Central Command said Saturday it destroyed two drones over Houthi-controlled territory in Yemen.