Ship Attacked in Red Sea off Yemen by Armed Men: U.K. Maritime Agency

A ship was attacked in the Red Sea off the coast of Yemen by armed men firing guns and launching rocket-propelled grenades, as reported by a British military group on Sunday, July 6, 2025.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, which occurred amidst heightened tensions in West Asia due to conflicts such as the Israel-Hamas war and airstrikes on Iranian nuclear sites.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations centre stated that an armed security team on the ship returned fire and the situation is ongoing, with authorities investigating.

Maritime security firm Ambrey issued a warning that a merchant ship was attacked by eight skiffs while traveling northbound in the Red Sea, with the attack believed to be ongoing.

The U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet in the Middle East referred inquiries to Central Command, which has not yet responded.

Yemen's Houthi rebels have been conducting missile and drone attacks on commercial and military ships in the region to counter Israel's actions against Hamas in Gaza.

Between November 2023 and January 2025, the Houthis targeted over 100 merchant vessels, resulting in the sinking of two ships and the deaths of four sailors, disrupting trade flow through the Red Sea corridor.

The Houthis had paused attacks during a ceasefire until a U.S. assault in mid-March, after which they resumed missile attacks on Israel but refrained from targeting vessels.

Meanwhile, the long-standing conflict in Yemen between the Houthis and the exiled government, supported by a Saudi-led coalition, continues without resolution.

Pirates from Somalia have also been active in the region, typically capturing vessels for robbery or ransom.

According to the source: The Hindu.