British-owned vessel attacked in the Red Sea in suspected Houthi attack

A British-owned cargo ship was attacked in the Red Sea on Tuesday, the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said.

The attack happened west of Hodeida in Yemen just after midnight.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack but suspicions have fallen on Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen.

The UKMTO said the ship’s master was “aware of a small craft on his Port side” before a projectile was fired at the ship.

No crew were injured in the attack.

The ship was left with minor damage to its bridge windows but was deemed safe to continue its journey.

Private security firm Ambrey said the vessel is a Barbados-flagged, British-owned cargo ship.

On Monday, Defence Secretary Grant Shapps told the Commons the UK will, if necessary, not hesitate to respond again “in self-defence” to Houthi’s in Yemen.

He was updating MPs after the UK and the US took part in joint airstrikes against Houthi rebel sites on Saturday.

Mr Shapps said the attacks were in line with international law and in self-defence, and had targeted “three military facilities” hitting “11 separate targets”, identified following “very careful analysis”.

It comes after multiple attacks to ships in the Red Sea by Houthi groups.

There have been fears that the attacks on commercial ships in the Middle East could drive up the price of goods in the shops, as cargo firms are forced to re-route their vessels via longer and more costly routes to avoid clashes with the group.

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