UK maritime agency reports attack near Yemen

By Nur Asena Erturk

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) on Thursday reported an attack 70 nautical miles south of Yemen's port city of Aden.

"A vessel was attacked by two missiles, resulting in a fire onboard. Coalition forces are responding," the statement read.

Following the attack, the marine agency advised vessels to "transit with caution," without adding any further detail.

The reported incident comes amid heightened tensions in the Red Sea over attacks on ships by Yemeni Houthis and retaliatory strikes by the US and Britain, fueling fears that the war in Gaza could expand into a regional conflict.

On Monday, the EU formally launched a naval mission, under the name Mission Aspides, to protect commercial vessels in the Red Sea from attacks by the Houthi rebels.

The Houthis have been targeting cargo ships in the Red Sea owned or operated by Israeli companies or transporting goods to and from Israel in solidarity with Gaza, which has been under an Israeli onslaught since Oct. 7.

With tensions escalating due to the joint strikes of the US and UK against Houthi targets in Yemen, the group declared that it considered all American and British ships legitimate military targets.