The Red Sea and Gulf of Aden off Yemen have become perilous for shipping with the Houthi rebels, who control areas including the capital Sanaa, launching attacks they say are in solidarity with Palestinians in war-ravaged Gaza.
One ship positioned 116km southwest of the rebel-held port city of Hodeida reported two nearby explosions early on Tuesday.
“A small craft was observed in the vicinity acting suspiciously and flashing lights towards the vessel,” the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said.
The ship was then “attacked by an uncrewed surface vehicle (USV), which was successfully disabled”, according to the agency, which is run by the British navy.
“The vessel and crew are reported safe, and the vessel is proceeding to its next port of call.”
Maritime security firm Ambrey said the ship fit the profile of Houthi targets.
The Joint Maritime Information Center (JMIC), run by a 45-member international naval coalition, identified the vessel as the Liberia-flagged crude oil tanker Delta Atlantica.
A second ship, positioned 179km northwest of Hodeida, also reported “an explosion in the vicinity of the vessel”, UKMTO said.
The JMIC identified the ship as the Panama-flagged crude oil tanker On Phoenix.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility, but the strikes were consistent with previous ones by the Iran-backed Houthis that began in November, roughly one month after Hamas’s unprecedented Oct 7 attacks on southern Israel triggered the war in the Gaza Strip.
Late on Tuesday, US Central Command said it had “successfully destroyed two Iranian-backed Houthi vessels in the Red Sea,” offering no specific details about the targets.
“These vessels presented a clear and imminent threat to US and coalition forces, and merchant vessels in the region,” read a US statement.
The Houthis’s anti-shipping campaign against scores of ships has disrupted maritime traffic in the Red Sea, which usually carries up to 12% of global trade.
The attacks have triggered reprisal strikes by the US and Britain on Houthi targets inside Yemen.