Cargo ship attacked off Yemen in Red Sea, UKMTO reports

A cargo ship was attacked by unknown armed assailants in the Red Sea off the coast of Yemen on Sunday, July 5, according to a British maritime security alert. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) center reported receiving a distress alert from the vessel approximately 30 nautical miles southwest of the port city of Al Hudaydah. Authorities are investigating the incident and have urged other ships to transit the area with caution.

No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack. The area is under the control of Iran-backed Houthi rebels, who have previously targeted commercial shipping in the Red Sea. While the Houthis have recently threatened to resume attacks, there were no immediate reports confirming their involvement in Sunday’s incident. The rebels had largely refrained from such actions during the recent U.S.-Iran conflict.

The attack underscores persistent security risks in one of the world’s most critical maritime chokepoints. The Bab el-Mandeb Strait, located south of the incident site, serves as the southern gateway to the Red Sea and the Suez Canal. From late 2023 through 2025, repeated Houthi attacks using drones and missiles on vessels...