Houthis seize cargo ship, force it to head to Yemen

The British Maritime Trade Authority has reported that a group identifying themselves as the Yemeni Navy informed them that they had diverted a ship towards the Yemeni coast.

A Yemeni maritime source stated that Houthi forces had compelled a container ship, originally bound for Israel, to change its course.

The source mentioned that the detained ship is currently on its way to Yemeni ports.

A.P. Moller-Maersk, one of the world’s largest shipping companies, reported that its container ship Maersk Gibraltar was targeted by a missile near the Bab Al-Mandeb Strait last night. The attack occurred as the ship was en route from Salalah, Oman, to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Maersk said. The crew and ship were reported safe.

The Houthis had reported the vessel was headed to Israel.

The group has repeatedly vowed to target ships owned or operated by Israeli companies or those delivering goods to the occupation state, “in solidarity with Palestine,” and called on countries to “withdraw” their citizens working on the crews of these ships.

READ: Yemen’s Houthis declare readiness to confront strikes from Israel