DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — A ship caught fireplace Saturday within the Gulf of Aden off the coast of Yemen after being struck by a projectile, the British army mentioned, with one report suggesting its crew was making ready to desert the vessel.
Yemen’s Houthi rebels have been attacking ships by means of the Purple Sea hall. The rebels didn’t instantly declare the assault, although it might probably take them hours and even days to take action.
The British army’s United Kingdom Maritime Commerce Operations heart issued an alert in regards to the vessel, describing the incident as going down some 210 kilometers (130 miles) east of Aden.
“A vessel has been hit by an unknown projectile, ensuing with a hearth,” the UKMTO mentioned. “Authorities are investigating.”
The maritime safety agency Ambrey described the ship as a Cameroon-flagged tanker that was “en route from Sohar, Oman, to Djibouti.” It mentioned radio visitors urged the crew was making ready to desert ship and a search-and-rescue effort was underway.
Particulars provided in regards to the ship appeared to correspond to the Falcon, a Cameroon-flagged tanker that carries liquefied petroleum fuel.
UKMTO WARNING 036-25 – ATTACK – 18 OCT 25
Click on right here to view the total Advisory⤵️https://t.co/yo0ifPJJjr#MaritimeSecurity #MarSec pic.twitter.com/BhoVg5rLs7
— UKMTO Operations Centre (@UK_MTO) October 18, 2025
The Falcon beforehand had been recognized by United In opposition to Nuclear Iran, a New York-based stress group, as working allegedly in an Iranian “ghost fleet” of ships transferring their oil merchandise within the excessive seas regardless of worldwide sanctions. The ship’s house owners and operators, listed as being in India, couldn’t be instantly reached for remark.
The Houthis — whose slogan requires “Demise to America, Demise to Israel, [and] a Curse on the Jews” — started attacking Israel and maritime visitors in November 2023, a month after the October 7, 2023, Hamas bloodbath.
Because the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas started on October 10, no assaults have been claimed by the Yemeni insurgent group.
File: Smoke plumes rising on the Greek-owned bulk service Magic Seas after an assault by the Houthis within the Purple Sea, on July 8, 2025. (ANSARULLAH MEDIA CENTRE / AFP)
The Houthi marketing campaign towards delivery has killed not less than 9 mariners and seen 4 ships sunk. It upended delivery within the Purple Sea, by means of which about $1 trillion of products handed every year earlier than the conflict. The rebels’ most up-to-date assault hit the Dutch-flagged cargo ship Minervagracht on September 29, killing one crew member on board and wounding one other.
In the meantime, the Houthis have more and more threatened Saudi Arabia and brought dozens of employees at United Nations businesses and different help teams as prisoners, alleging with out proof they have been spies — one thing fiercely denied by the world physique and others.
The insurgent group has additionally fired over 130 ballistic missiles and dozens of drones and cruise missiles at Israel, together with one which killed a civilian and wounded a number of others in Tel Aviv in July 2024.
In response, Israel attacked the Houthis, situated some 1,800 kilometers (1,100 miles) away, 19 instances.
The Houthis’ chief, Abdul Malik al-Houthi, mentioned following the announcement of a Gaza ceasefire final week that the group would resume its assaults on Israel if it deems Jerusalem has failed to carry up its facet of the deal.
