Yemen Monitor – Newsroom:
New information has surfaced regarding a shooting incident involving a Comoros-flagged livestock carrier in the Red Sea near the Yemeni coast. The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported on Thursday that the vessel was fired upon by individuals in a wooden boat. Notably, the Yemeni Coast Guard briefly detained the tanker before releasing it.
Reuters quoted a Yemeni security official who stated that the detention of the tanker was due to suspicion arising from its Automatic Identification System (AIS) being turned off, in addition to its suspicious course while sailing north from the Horn of Africa.
British maritime security firm Ambrey reported that the vessel was en route from Bosaso port in Somalia to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. It had received instructions to proceed to the Yemeni port of Mokha, although the issuing authority for these instructions was not specified.
Ambrey warned commercial ships to avoid sailing east of the Hunish Islands, located northwest of Mokha city, and advised against entering areas with active small boats.
This development occurs amid continued tensions in the Red Sea, where Iran-aligned Houthis have launched repeated attacks on commercial vessels since the Gaza war began in October 2023, claiming these actions are in support of Palestinians.
The Houthi group has not yet claimed responsibility for Thursday’s incident.
