A Liberian-flagged merchant vessel, the “Transworld Navigator,” was attacked by a Houthi drone early Sunday morning while sailing in the Red Sea off the coast of Yemen’s port city of Hodeidah.
A pro-government naval official, speaking anonymously, confirmed the attack occurred at approximately 5:05 a.m. local time and resulted in damage to the vessel, the extent of which remains unclear. The official also confirmed that no crew members were injured in the incident.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) corroborated the attack, stating they received a report from the ship’s master about the incident, which took place approximately 65 nautical miles west of Hodeidah. The UKMTO confirmed the vessel was struck by an uncrewed aerial system, resulting in damage, but the crew is safe and the ship is continuing to its next port of call.
This is the second reported attack on the Transworld Navigator in two days. On Saturday, the Houthi group claimed to have targeted the same vessel with multiple missiles in the Arabian Sea. The Houthi group has not officially commented on the latest incident.
The attacks are part of an ongoing campaign by the Houthis, which began in November 2023, targeting ships in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait. The group claims to be targeting vessels associated with Israel or en route to Israeli ports, citing the ongoing Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip as justification.
In response to these attacks, the United States and Britain launched a military operation in January, which included air and missile strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen. This intervention has led the Houthi group to expand its targeting to include American and British commercial and military ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
