Missile attack causes fire aboard vessel off Yemen

A missile attack Thursday targeted a vessel transiting the Gulf of Aden, causing a fire on board, two maritime agencies said, the latest in a flurry of strikes disrupting global shipping.

"A vessel was attacked by two missiles, resulting in a fire onboard," the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations said, adding that "coalition forces are responding".

Security firm Ambrey also reported a fire aboard a Palau-flagged, British-owned general cargo ship following two missile strikes southeast of Yemen's Aden.

The ship "appeared to be headed from Map Ta Phut, Thailand, and headed in the direction of the Red Sea", Ambrey said.

"Merchant shipping is advised to stay clear of the vessel and proceed with caution," it added.

There was no immediate claim for the attack but it follows a series of strikes on commercial vessels by Yemen's Iran-backed Huthi rebels.

The Huthis say the attacks are in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza during the Israel-Hamas war.

The strikes have prompted some shipping companies to detour around southern Africa to avoid the Red Sea, which normally carries about 12 percent of global maritime trade.

The UN Conference on Trade and Development warned late last month that the volume of commercial traffic passing through the Suez Canal had fallen more than 40 percent in the previous two months.

Earlier, American forces launched "self-defence strikes" Wednesday against Huthi missiles and launch positions in rebel-controlled Yemen that posed threats to commercial shipping and naval forces in the Red Sea, the US military said.

The Iran-backed Huthis, who control much of war-torn Yemen, have been harassing the vital shipping lane since November in a campaign they say is in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza during the Israel-Hamas war.

Before dawn Wednesday Sanaa time, "US Central Command forces conducted four self-defense strikes against seven mobile Huthi anti-ship cruise missiles and one mobile anti-ship ballistic missile launcher that were prepared to launch towards the Red Sea," CENTCOM said in a statement on social media platform X.

The military said it also shot down a "one-way attack unmanned aircraft system."

"CENTCOM forces identified the missiles, launchers and UAS originating from Huthi-controlled areas of Yemen and determined that they presented an imminent threat to merchant vessels and to the US Navy ships in the region," CENTCOM said.

On Tuesday the Pentagon said a US drone crashed off the coast of Yemen after apparently being struck by a missile fired by Huthi rebels.

The Red Sea attacks have raised insurance premiums for shipping companies, forcing many to avoid the Red Sea, a vital route that normally carries about 12 percent of global maritime trade.