Red Sea Incident: Unidentified Attack on Livestock Carrier

Unidentified attackers in a wooden boat launched an assault on a Comoros-flagged livestock carrier Thursday in the Red Sea, near Yemen, according to British maritime security firm Ambrey.

The firm urged vessels to avoid transiting east of the Hanish Islands, approximately 30 nautical miles northwest of Mocha, a port city on Yemen's Red Sea shore, and advised maintaining a safe distance from smaller boats. Ambrey noted the carrier was traveling from Bosaso, Somalia to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and had been instructed to head to Mocha, yet the source of this directive remains unclear.

Regional tensions have intensified since the October 2023 outbreak of Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza, with the Iran-aligned Houthis launching attacks on Red Sea vessels in solidarity with Palestinians. Israel has retaliated against the Houthis, who hold control over key Yemeni regions, including the crucial Hodeidah port. Responsibility for Thursday's assault has not been claimed by the Houthis.

(With inputs from agencies.)