British Maritime security firm (Ambrey) on Wednesday reported an “explosion” near a Barbados-flagged, US-owned bulk carrier transiting south-west of the Yemeni port city of Aden, reports AFP.
“A nearby vessel reported an explosion in the proximity of the Barbados-flagged, publicly US-owned, bulk carrier,” Ambrey said, cautioning other ships to steer clear of the bulker which matches the “targeting profile” of Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels.
Before the latest reported attack, Ambrey said the bulk carrier was “hailed by an entity declaring itself to be the ‘Yemeni Navy’,” a title adopted by the Houthi rebels.
British maritime security agency UKMTO also reported an “attack” south-west of Aden, without elaborating.
The attacks have caused several major shipping firms to suspend passage through the Red Sea, which usually carries about 12% of global trade.
At least “15 commercial ships have been impacted” since November, including four US ships, US department of defense spokesperson Pete Nguyen said on Friday.
The US and UK have since January launched repeated strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen in response to the ship attacks.