![Commercial vessels are sailing in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of northern Israel on December 21, 2023, following the United States' announcement of its intention to establish a multinational coalition to protect cargo ships traveling through the Red Sea from attacks by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi group. [Mati Milstein/NurPhoto via Getty Images]](https://i0.wp.com/www.middleeastmonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/GettyImages-1864551238.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1)
A merchant vessel reported that an explosion took place near it in the Red Sea on Thursday, about 19 nautical miles west of the Yemeni port city of Mokha, British security firm, Ambrey, said.
The vessel fit the target profile of Yemeni Houthis, who have attacked ships off the country’s coast for several months, Ambrey said in a note, Reuters reports.
It was en route from Europe to the United Arab Emirates and was not transmitting an Automatic Identification System signal at the time, Ambrey said. It gave no other details.
Houthis have made repeated drone and missile strikes on ships in the crucial shipping channels of the Red Sea, the Bab Al-Mandeb Strait and the Gulf of Aden since November.
This has forced shippers to re-route cargo to longer and more expensive journeys around southern Africa and has stoked fears that the Israel-Palestine war could spread and destabilise the Middle East.
The Houthis, who control the most populous parts of Yemen and are aligned with Iran, says they are acting in solidarity with Palestinians fighting Israel in Gaza.
READ: Yemen Houthis say they attacked three ships in Red Sea, Arabian Sea