ATHENS: A container vessel that was hit by the Houthis off Yemen on Saturday in the first such attack in two weeks, has arrived safely in Djibouti and the strike caused no injuries or water ingress, its Greek manager said on Monday.
Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis said on Sunday that they targeted the Liberia-flagged MV Groton in the Gulf of Aden with ballistic missiles, claiming their first attack on shipping lanes since Israel carried out a retaliatory airstrike in Hodeidah port on July 20.
The MV Groton was hit by a missile 60 nautical miles off the coast of Yemen, while en route from Dubai to Jeddah, Conbulk Shipmanagement Corporation said in a statement. After the strike, it was diverted to Djibouti where it arrived on Sunday, the company said.
“No injuries nor pollution have been reported and there is no water ingress caused by the hit,” the company said, adding that the safety of the crew was a top priority.
“Full evaluation of the damage will be made ... followed by the necessary repairs.”
Following the strike, fire broke out in the cargo holds that were hit and in containers on the main deck, the company said. The blaze was extinguished by the crew.
The attack is the first since an apparent lull following Israel’s attack on Hodeidah, which occurred a day after a drone launched by the Iranian-backed group hit Israeli economic hub Tel Aviv.
The Houthis have launched attacks on international shipping near Yemen since last November in solidarity with Palestinians in the war between Israel and Hamas.
The attacks have drawn US and British retaliatory strikes and disrupted global trade as ship owners reroute vessels away from the Red Sea and Suez Canal to sail the longer route around the southern tip of Africa.
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First vessel hit by Yemen’s Houthis in two weeks arrives in Djibouti, manager says
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First vessel hit by Yemen’s Houthis in two weeks arrives in Djibouti, manager says
- The attack is the first since an apparent lull following Israel’s attack on Hodeidah, which occurred a day after a drone launched by the group hit Tel Aviv
Israel to permit 10,000 Palestinian worshippers to Al-Aqsa in Ramadan
- Israel announced it would allow 10,000 Palestinian worshippers to attend weekly prayers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in east Jerusalem during the holy month of Ramadan, which began Wednesday
JERUSALEM: Israel announced it would allow 10,000 Palestinian worshippers to attend weekly prayers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in east Jerusalem during the holy month of Ramadan, which began Wednesday.
Israeli authorities also imposed restrictions on entry to the mosque compound, permitting access only to men aged 55 and older, women aged 50 and older, and children up to age 12.
“Ten thousand Palestinian worshippers will be permitted to enter the Temple Mount for Friday prayers throughout the month of Ramadan, subject to obtaining a dedicated daily permit in advance,” COGAT, the Israeli defense ministry agency responsible for Palestinian civilian affairs in occupied territory said in a statement.
“Entry for men will be permitted from age 55, for women from age 50, and for children up to age 12 when accompanied by a first-degree relative.”
During Ramadan, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians traditionally attend prayers at Al?Aqsa, Islam’s third?holiest site, located in east Jerusalem, which Israel captured in 1967 and later annexed in a move that is not internationally recognized.
The Palestinian Jerusalem Governorate said this week that Israeli authorities had prevented the Islamic Waqf — the Jordanian?run body that administers the site — from carrying out routine preparations ahead of Ramadan, including installing shade structures and setting up temporary medical clinics.
A senior imam of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, Sheikh Muhammad Al-Abbasi, told AFP that he, too, had been barred from entering the compound.
“I have been barred from the mosque for a week, and the order can be renewed,” he said.
Abbasi said he was not informed of the reason for the ban, which came into effect from Monday.
Under long?standing arrangements, Jews may visit the Al?Aqsa compound — which they revere as the site of the first and second Jewish temples — but they are not permitted to pray there.
Israel says it is committed to upholding this status quo, though Palestinians fear it is being eroded.
In recent years, a growing number of Jewish ultranationalists have challenged the prayer ban, including far?right politician Itamar Ben?Gvir, who prayed at the site while serving as national security minister in 2024 and 2025.
Israeli authorities also imposed restrictions on entry to the mosque compound, permitting access only to men aged 55 and older, women aged 50 and older, and children up to age 12.
“Ten thousand Palestinian worshippers will be permitted to enter the Temple Mount for Friday prayers throughout the month of Ramadan, subject to obtaining a dedicated daily permit in advance,” COGAT, the Israeli defense ministry agency responsible for Palestinian civilian affairs in occupied territory said in a statement.
“Entry for men will be permitted from age 55, for women from age 50, and for children up to age 12 when accompanied by a first-degree relative.”
During Ramadan, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians traditionally attend prayers at Al?Aqsa, Islam’s third?holiest site, located in east Jerusalem, which Israel captured in 1967 and later annexed in a move that is not internationally recognized.
The Palestinian Jerusalem Governorate said this week that Israeli authorities had prevented the Islamic Waqf — the Jordanian?run body that administers the site — from carrying out routine preparations ahead of Ramadan, including installing shade structures and setting up temporary medical clinics.
A senior imam of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, Sheikh Muhammad Al-Abbasi, told AFP that he, too, had been barred from entering the compound.
“I have been barred from the mosque for a week, and the order can be renewed,” he said.
Abbasi said he was not informed of the reason for the ban, which came into effect from Monday.
Under long?standing arrangements, Jews may visit the Al?Aqsa compound — which they revere as the site of the first and second Jewish temples — but they are not permitted to pray there.
Israel says it is committed to upholding this status quo, though Palestinians fear it is being eroded.
In recent years, a growing number of Jewish ultranationalists have challenged the prayer ban, including far?right politician Itamar Ben?Gvir, who prayed at the site while serving as national security minister in 2024 and 2025.
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