8 April 2024 (Lloyd's List) - UK MARITIME Trade Operations reported several missile launches during the weekend as Yemen's Houthi rebels resumed their campaign following a quiet period.
The master of the Marshall Islands-flagged, 2006-built, 3,534 teu Hope Island (IMO: 9263320) reported two missiles near the vessel at 1425 hrs on April 6. One missile was intercepted by coalition forces and the other hit the water "a distance from the vessel".
Hope Island reported another missile attack at 0505 hrs on April 7, some 59 nautical miles southwest of Aden, Yemen, which hit the water "in close proximity to the vessel's port quarters", UKMTO said.
Houthi spokesperson Yahya Saree has since claimed in a televised statement that the group had targeted a British ship and a number of US frigates in the Red Sea, as well as two vessels headed for Israeli ports in the Indian Ocean.
Several media reports have suggested MSC Gina (IMO: 9202663) and MSC Grace F (IMO: 8918057) were the targets of Houthi attacks, but Mediterranean Shipping Company would not confirm this to Lloyd's List.
But sources questioned the veracity of Saree's claims.
Vespucci Maritime chief executive Lars Jensen said on LinkedIn: "Several options are possible here. It could be that the Houthis are not telling the truth, but want to make it appear as if they are more resourceful than they are in reality.
"It could be that they have indeed launched attacks, but the targeting was so poor that the vessels in question never even saw the attack. Or that the attacks were indeed real and close, but for some reason the intended targets have chosen not to publicly report it."
Although vessels have been targeted in the Red Sea for many months now, the danger zone may well have been widened with these most recent attacks.
"The element to note is the claim to have attacked vessels in the Arabian Sea, which is essentially the northern end of the Indian Ocean, as well as in the Indian Ocean," Jensen said.
"If this is true, it would constitute an expansion of the risk area to now also include the approach routes to the major container hubs on the south coast of Oman as well as approach routes towards the Strait of Hormuz."
