22 February 2024 (Lloyd's List) - UNITED Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations has received reports of an explosion and a flash about 40 nautical miles west of Al Hodeidah, the agency said on Wednesday, amid reports of increased drone activity in the area.
The agency said the explosion and flash took place around 0330 hrs local time on Wednesday, but the incidents were reported about 14 hours later. Vessels and crew in the vicinity were reported safe.
Earlier on Wednesday, UKMTO said it has received reports of heightened drone activity in the same area and around the same time as the flash and explosions were later reported. It advised masters to follow industry guidelines on loitering munitions.
The agency said the drone activity notification was valid for a 72-hour period, which security consultants EOS Risk Group said could indicate heightened threat.
“It is unusual for UKMTO to issue a standing alert for 72 hours and is likely indicative of an increased risk of attack to vessels that fit the target profile in the vicinity of the alert area,” the company said on social media platform X.
The incident comes amid a flurry of Houthi attacks this week that saw the Belize-flagged bulk carrier Rubymar (IMO: 9138898) take heavy damage from a missile strike, forcing the crew to abandon the ship.
The militants claimed on Tuesday to attack MSC Silver II (IMO: 9225249) in the Gulf of Aden, in what would have been their sixth attack against commercial ships in five days. MSC did not respond to requests for comment. No incident fitting the description was reported by UKMTO.
US Central Command (Centcom) said on X that it intercepted and struck over a dozen drones and missiles that were launched or prepared to launch between Monday evening and early Tuesday.
Deputy Pentagon press secretary Sabrina Singh said the US has been able to “considerable degrade” the Houthis’ capabilities through strikes and interdictions of arms shipments, but conceded that they have a “a large warehouse of capabilities” and that the US was unable to stop all arms trafficked to them.
“I think our dynamic strikes, our coalition strikes, absolutely have an impact,” she told reporters at briefing on Tuesday.
“But we at no point said that we're wiping all of their capabilities off the map. We know that they have a large inventory, a large warehouse, and they’re going to continue to use it.”
As of February 20, the US has conducted 32 “self-defence” strikes in Yemen, Singh said.
She said the Houthis are “already seeing the effects” of the strikes, and that the Pentagon assesses they have had an impact on some the militants’ capabilities.
“Again, it’s not everything off the map, but it is steps, it is progress, and we're going to keep holding them accountable until they stop.”
