Vessels hit off Yemen's Hodeidah, Houthis claim attack on tanker

DUBAI: Two vessels sustained damage after being hit with missiles and a sea drone off Yemen's Red Sea port of Hodeidah early on Tuesday, maritime security agencies and sources monitoring the area said.

Both vessels reported that their crews were safe.

One of the vessels, the Panama-flagged tanker M/T Cordelia Moon, reported being hit by an Uncrewed Surface Vessel (USV) 64 nautical miles northwest of Hodeidah, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency said.

The vessel, which was in ballast condition, was damaged on its port side tank, British security firm Ambrey and the Joint Maritime Information Center (JMIC) said, adding that it was proceeding to its next port of call.

The vessel had earlier reported seeing four splashes in the water close to it, which a maritime security source said were attempted missile attacks.

The second vessel, which sources said was a Liberia-flagged bulker, sustained damage after it was hit by a missile about 97 nautical miles northwest of Hodeidah, Ambrey and maritime security sources said. The firm said it was bound for Suez.

Authorities were investigating both incidents.

Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi militants later claimed the attack on the Cordelia Moon, saying that it was struck with eight ballistic and winged missiles, a drone and an uncrewed surface boat.

They also said they had targeted a third ship, Marathopolis, in the Indian Ocean with a drone and with a winged missile.

Houthis have launched attacks on international shipping near Yemen since last November in solidarity with Palestinians in the war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

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