Although no organization has taken credit for the strike, Houthi rebels in Yemen supported by Iran are thought to be responsible.
Tuesday just after midnight saw an attack on the ship in Yemen, west of Hodeida.
The Associated Press reported that Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen are suspected of carrying out the strike, though no party has taken credit for it.
Prior to a projectile being fired towards the ship, the UKMTO stated that the ship’s master was “aware of a small craft on his Port side”.
The ship’s bridge windows incurred minor damage, but no crew members were hurt.
The ship was recognized by maritime security company Ambrey as a general cargo ship flying the Barbados flag and owned by a British corporation. It was damaged physically by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) when it was traveling southeast across the Red Sea.
It was decided that the ship could safely continue traveling.
Grant Shapps, the defence secretary, told the Commons on Monday that the UK would not think twice about retaliating “in self-defence” against Houthi assaults in Yemen.
Following the US and UK’s coordinated airstrikes against Houthi sites on Saturday, he was providing updates to the MPs.
According to Mr. Shapps, the strikes were carried out in self-defense in compliance with international law, hitting “three military facilities” and “11 separate targets” that had been found after “extremely careful analysis.”
Red Sea attacks have hampered international shipping and forced companies to take longer, more costly routes around southern Africa. This has increased concerns that the Israel-Hamas conflict may expand and destabilize the Middle East as a whole.
