The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations centre (UKMTO), the international reference for maritime security incidents, has received a report of an attack on a cargo ship in Bab al-Mandab off the coast of Mokha from an "unknown projectile" which resulted "in casualties".

Yemeni official sources from the coast guard and military say at least three crew members have been killed. They say the attack came from the Houthis, which control much of Yemen's Red Sea coast.

Until now, Yemen's Houthis had only targeted tankers carrying Saudi oil in the Bab al-Mandab, not container ships.