Yemen Ship Blast: Potential New Houthi Attack After Quiet Period

On Wednesday, an explosion was sighted by a ship navigating near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, possibly signaling a new attack by Yemen’s Houthi rebels in this vital passage for global trade.

The incident was reported by the UK’s maritime security coordination center, following a period of decreased Houthi activity despite their history of assaults on shipping in this region during the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.

Although the Houthis did not immediately acknowledge this particular explosion, they have historically claimed responsibility for similar actions after some delay. The explosion occurred approximately 130 kilometers southeast of Djibouti in the Gulf of Aden.

According to the maritime alert, “The master of a merchant vessel reports an explosion in the water a distance from the vessel. Vessel and crew reported safe. Authorities are investigating.”

A private maritime security firm, Ambrey, also noted the incident. Reports indicate that since November, the Houthis have launched over 50 attacks on shipping, capturing one ship and sinking another, as per the U.S. Maritime Administration.

Recent weeks have seen a reduction in Houthi attacks as the group faces a U.S.-led airstrike campaign in Yemen and a decrease in shipping through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden due to these threats. U.S. officials suggest the Houthis might be depleting their arsenal, continuing their missile and drone launches over the past months.

The Houthis have vowed to persist with their attacks until Israel ceases its military actions in Gaza, which have resulted in over 34,000 Palestinian deaths. The conflict escalated following an attack by Hamas on October 7, which resulted in 1,200 Israeli deaths and about 250 hostages.

The targets of Houthi attacks on shipping have typically had little to no direct ties to Israel, the U.S., or other nations involved in the Gaza conflict. The group has also attempted missile strikes against Israel, though these have mostly been unsuccessful or intercepted.

The Houthis are part of the Shiite Zaydi sect, a minority within Islam, and have historical ties to ruling Yemen for a millennium until 1962. They took control of Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, in late 2014, leading to a conflict that remains unresolved despite intervention by a Saudi-led coalition since 2015.