DUBAI, United Arab Emirates: A suspected attack by Yemen’s Houthi rebels saw multiple explosions strike near a vessel traveling through the Red Sea on Tuesday, though no damage was immediately reported by the ship, authorities said.
The attack comes as the rebels continue their monthslong assault targeting shipping through a waterway that typically sees $1 trillion in goods pass through it a year over the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip and Israel’s ground offensive in Lebanon.
The Houthis have insisted that the attacks will continue as long as the wars go on, and the assaults already have halved shipping through the region. Meanwhile, a UN panel of experts now allege that the Houthis may be shaking down some shippers for about $180 million a month for safe passage through the area.
A vessel in the southern reaches of the Red Sea, about 130 kilometers (80 miles) southwest of the rebel-held port city of Hodeida, reported the attack, the British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said.
No one was wounded on board in the blasts, and the ship was continuing on its journey, the UKMTO added.
The Houthis didn’t immediately claim the attack. However, it can take the rebels hours or even days before they acknowledge one of their assaults.
The Houthis have targeted more than 90 merchant vessels with missiles and drones since the war in Gaza started in October 2023. They seized one vessel and sank two in the campaign, which also killed four sailors. Other missiles and drones have either been intercepted by a US-led coalition in the Red Sea or failed to reach their targets, which have included Western military vessels as well.
The rebels maintain that they target ships linked to Israel, the US or the UK to force an end to Israel’s campaign against Hamas in Gaza. However, many of the ships attacked have little or no connection to the conflict, including some bound for Iran.
The Houthis have shot down multiple American MQ-9 Reaper drones as well.
The last Houthi maritime attack came Oct. 28 and targeted the Liberian-flagged bulk tanker Motaro. Before that, an Oct. 10 attack targeted the Liberian-flagged chemical tanker Olympic Spirit.
It’s unclear why the Houthis’ attacks have dropped, though they have launched multiple missiles toward Israel as well. On Oct. 17, the US military unleashed B-2 stealth bombers to target underground bunkers used by the rebels. US airstrikes also have been targeting Houthi positions in recent days as well.
Meanwhile, a report by UN experts from October says “the Houthis allegedly collected illegal fees from a few shipping agencies to allow their ships to sail through the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden without being attacked.” It put the money generated a month at around $180 million, though it stressed it hadn’t been able to corroborate the information provided by sources to the panel.
The Houthis haven’t directly responded to the allegation. However, the report did include two threatening emails the Houthis sent to shippers, with one of those vessels later coming under attack by the rebels.
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A suspected attack by Yemen’s Houthi rebels sees explosions near ship in Red Sea
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A suspected attack by Yemen’s Houthi rebels sees explosions near ship in Red Sea
- The attack comes as the rebels continue their monthslong assault targeting shipping
- The Houthis have insisted that the attacks will continue as long as the wars go on
Somaliland’s Israel deal could put Berbera port at risk
BERBERA: Somaliland says its recognition by Israel could be a boon for its Berbera port. But with missiles flying across the region, it could also be a target.
Berbera port on the Gulf of Aden has been transformed by the United Arab Emirates firm DP World over the past decade into a state-of-the-art facility on one of the world’s busiest trade routes.
Berbera still handles far fewer containers than nearby Djibouti or Mombasa, but port traffic was up 30 percent from 2023 to 2025, and recent diplomatic moves could lead to much more.
A deal under negotiation with Ethiopia, a landlocked neighbor with more than 130 million inhabitants, could see traffic rise by another 80 percent, said port authority director Ali Diriye Ahmed.
Ethiopia did not respond to queries on the subject.
And Israel’s recent decision to recognize Somaliland’s independence — the first country to do so since it declared autonomy from Somalia in 1991 — promises a “tremendous increase,” said Ahmed, already envisioning an expansion of the port.
But an alliance with Israel also brings risks, particularly as the US-Israeli attacks on Iran this weekend increase the threat of regional war.
Abdel Malek Al-Houthi, leader of the Houthi group in Yemen, had already warned that any Israeli presence in Somaliland would be considered a “military target.”
“We really don’t know what is going on there. Sometimes there are 20 planes coming in a week,” said a DP World employee, speaking on condition of anonymity.
“There is a widespread assumption that there is an Israeli military or security presence that is already in the country,” a Western diplomat told AFP on condition of anonymity, though any military cooperation will remain secretive.
If their presence was confirmed at the Emirati base, it could leave the port vulnerable to Houthi or Iranian missiles.
There is also a more local threat from Al-Shabab, the Somali affiliate of Al-Qaeda, that has said it will oppose any attempt by Israel to use Somaliland.
Somaliland authorities “only saw the recognition, without thinking about the future,” fears Roland Marchal, a regional specialist based at France’s Sciences Po university.
’Contribute to peace’
Hargeisa initially denied any negotiations regarding an Israeli military base on its soil, only to recently indicate that “nothing is off the table.”
“We are not partnering with Israel to be against anyone,” said Khadar Hussein Abdi, Somaliland’s minister of the presidency and adviser to President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi.
Somaliland “wants to contribute to peace in the region,” he told AFP.
In Berbera, a peaceful but little-developed city of 70,000, the atmosphere remains optimistic.
Its mayor, Abdishakur Mohamoud Hassan, said population numbers and tax revenues had soared since DP World took control of the port, allowing for free primary schools and new health clinics.
With Israel’s recognition, “we expect this city to develop similarly to Dubai,” he said with a smile, adding that he was “not afraid” of attacks by Israel’s enemies.
“If a country like Ukraine has been resisting Russia for years, we too will not be intimidated by the Houthis,” he said.
Berbera port on the Gulf of Aden has been transformed by the United Arab Emirates firm DP World over the past decade into a state-of-the-art facility on one of the world’s busiest trade routes.
Berbera still handles far fewer containers than nearby Djibouti or Mombasa, but port traffic was up 30 percent from 2023 to 2025, and recent diplomatic moves could lead to much more.
A deal under negotiation with Ethiopia, a landlocked neighbor with more than 130 million inhabitants, could see traffic rise by another 80 percent, said port authority director Ali Diriye Ahmed.
Ethiopia did not respond to queries on the subject.
And Israel’s recent decision to recognize Somaliland’s independence — the first country to do so since it declared autonomy from Somalia in 1991 — promises a “tremendous increase,” said Ahmed, already envisioning an expansion of the port.
But an alliance with Israel also brings risks, particularly as the US-Israeli attacks on Iran this weekend increase the threat of regional war.
Abdel Malek Al-Houthi, leader of the Houthi group in Yemen, had already warned that any Israeli presence in Somaliland would be considered a “military target.”
“We really don’t know what is going on there. Sometimes there are 20 planes coming in a week,” said a DP World employee, speaking on condition of anonymity.
“There is a widespread assumption that there is an Israeli military or security presence that is already in the country,” a Western diplomat told AFP on condition of anonymity, though any military cooperation will remain secretive.
If their presence was confirmed at the Emirati base, it could leave the port vulnerable to Houthi or Iranian missiles.
There is also a more local threat from Al-Shabab, the Somali affiliate of Al-Qaeda, that has said it will oppose any attempt by Israel to use Somaliland.
Somaliland authorities “only saw the recognition, without thinking about the future,” fears Roland Marchal, a regional specialist based at France’s Sciences Po university.
’Contribute to peace’
Hargeisa initially denied any negotiations regarding an Israeli military base on its soil, only to recently indicate that “nothing is off the table.”
“We are not partnering with Israel to be against anyone,” said Khadar Hussein Abdi, Somaliland’s minister of the presidency and adviser to President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi.
Somaliland “wants to contribute to peace in the region,” he told AFP.
In Berbera, a peaceful but little-developed city of 70,000, the atmosphere remains optimistic.
Its mayor, Abdishakur Mohamoud Hassan, said population numbers and tax revenues had soared since DP World took control of the port, allowing for free primary schools and new health clinics.
With Israel’s recognition, “we expect this city to develop similarly to Dubai,” he said with a smile, adding that he was “not afraid” of attacks by Israel’s enemies.
“If a country like Ukraine has been resisting Russia for years, we too will not be intimidated by the Houthis,” he said.
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