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Ship Catches Fire After Projectile Strike in Gulf of Aden Amid Ongoing Houthi-Linked Tensions
A Cameroon-flagged tanker caught fire after being hit by a projectile in the Gulf of Aden, 210 km east of Aden. The crew reportedly prepared to abandon ship as rescue efforts began.
MH
by Muhammad Hashir
2025-10-18
Ship Catches Fire After Projectile Strike in Gulf of Aden Amid Ongoing Houthi-Linked Tensions

A commercial vessel caught fire in the Gulf of Aden after being struck by an unknown projectile, the British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported on Saturday. The incident occurred roughly 210 kilometres (130 miles) east of Aden, Yemen.

The UKMTO alert confirmed that the ship had been hit by an unidentified projectile, resulting in a fire onboard.

“A vessel has been hit by an unknown projectile, resulting with a fire,” the statement said. “Authorities are investigating.”

The maritime security firm Ambrey later identified the ship as a Cameroon-flagged tanker travelling from Sohar, Oman, to Djibouti. The vessel reportedly issued a distress call while passing 60 nautical miles (110 kilometres) south of Yemen’s Ahwar, and radio communication suggested that the crew was preparing to abandon ship. A search-and-rescue operation is currently underway.

Ambrey also noted that the tanker did not match the typical target profile of Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi movement, which has carried out a series of maritime attacks since 2023.

While no group has claimed responsibility, the attack comes amid ongoing instability in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, where Houthi rebels have targeted ships they believe are linked to Israel or its allies, in what they describe as retaliation for Israel’s war in Gaza.

The Houthi campaign has severely disrupted global trade through the Red Sea and Suez Canal, one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes. Since late 2023, the group’s maritime attacks have sunk four ships and killed at least nine sailors.

Although the Houthis have not claimed any maritime attacks since the Gaza ceasefire began on October 10, Saturday’s incident has raised fears of renewed hostilities. The group’s last claimed attack took place on September 29, when a missile strike on the Dutch-flagged cargo ship Minervagracht killed one crew member and injured another.

Meanwhile, Israel has intensified its strikes on Houthi positions in Yemen in recent months, claiming responsibility for the killing of the group’s military chief, Muhammad Abd al-Karim al-Ghamari, on Thursday.

In a statement following al-Ghamari’s death, the Houthi leadership vowed that the conflict with Israel was “far from over,” warning that Israel would face retaliation for “its crimes against the Yemeni people.”

In August, Israel also carried out airstrikes on Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, targeting senior Houthi officials and killing the Houthi-run government’s prime minister and several ministers.

The latest attack underscores the volatile maritime security situation in the Gulf of Aden, as tensions between Israel and Yemen’s Houthi movement continue to threaten the safety of global trade routes.
Tagged:

yemen

MaritimeSecurity

RedSea

HouthiRebels

GulfOfAden
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