Merchant vessel attacked near Yemen's Hodeidah

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) has received a report of a merchant vessel being attacked by three small craft, 70 miles from the port city of Hodeidah in Yemen.

An unmanned small craft collided with the vessel twice and two manned small craft fired at the vessel, UKMTO said on Monday. The vessel and crew were reported to be safe.

Since November, Yemen's Houthis have launched drone and missile attacks on global shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, as an act of solidarity with Palestinians under bombardment by Israel.