Merchant Vessel Targeted in Red Sea Near Yemen Amid Rising Tensions

A merchant vessel was approached with small arms fire 92 nautical miles northeast of Eritrea's Massawa port. The UKMTO reported a sighting of a boat with armed individuals in the vicinity of the attack. Iran-aligned Houthi militants have targeted ships since November to show support for Palestinians, affecting shipping routes and raising Middle East tensions.

A merchant vessel was approached with small arms fire 92 nautical miles northeast of Eritrea's Massawa port, according to British maritime security firm Ambrey on Thursday.

Shortly after, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported a sighting of a small boat with armed individuals operating close to a small coastal freighter around 95 nautical miles northeast of Massawa. Authorities are currently investigating, as no group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack.

This attack follows repeated drone and missile strikes by Iran-aligned Houthi militants on ships perceived to be related to Israel or the United States since November, as part of their support for Palestinians in the Gaza war. These actions have forced shippers to re-route cargo on longer, costlier journeys around southern Africa, heightening fears that the Israel-Hamas war could spread and further destabilize the Middle East.

(With inputs from agencies.)