Greek-Owned Ship Damaged Twice in Red Sea Missile Attacks

Marshall Islands-flagged, Greek-owned ship was struck by missile attacks twice on Tuesday in the Red Sea off the coast of Yemen, according to reports from a private security firm and the British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center.

The bulk carrier Laax sustained damage in the first assault near the port city of Hodeida, with the vessel reporting an impact in the water in close proximity.

The crew members are safe, and the ship is proceeding to its next port of call, according to the UKMTO.

However, a private security firm, Ambrey, reported that the vessel sustained damage to the cargo hold and was taking on water after the attack.

Later that night, the Laax reportedly sustained further damage in a second missile attack near Mokha in the Bab el-Mandeb strait.

The United States military’s Central Command confirmed the attacks and identified the targeted ship as the Laax, which was en route to Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates.

Grehel Ship Management of Piraeus, Greece, manages the vessel.

While no group has claimed responsibility for the attacks, suspicion has fallen on Yemen's Houthi rebels, who have targeted ships amid Israel's conflict with Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

The Houthis have launched over 50 attacks on shipping since November, according to the United States Maritime Administration.

Yemen has been engulfed in conflict since 2014 when the Houthis seized the capital, Sanaa.

A Saudi-led coalition entered the war in 2015, supporting Yemen's exiled government, but the conflict has remained at a stalemate. Speaking in Dubai on Tuesday, Yemen's prime minister urged for peace and stability in the region, emphasizing the need to address the root causes of the conflict.