Houthis Claim Attack on MSC Container Ship

Houthi rebels in Yemen have taken responsibility for an attack on a containership operated by MSC in the Gulf of Aden on Thursday.

A Houthi spokesperson announced during a broadcast that the MSC Darwin VI, flying under the Liberian flag, was struck by several missiles and drones.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center, managed by the British military, reported that a ship captain heard a loud explosion, observed a splash, and noticed smoke approximately 15 nautical miles southwest of Aden's port.

Martin Kelly, who leads the advisory team at EOS Risk Group, pointed out that the MSC Darwin VI was likely targeted by the Houthis because it matched criteria related to US Military Sea Lift Command operations.

The container vessel, which has a capacity of 6,078 TEU, was en route from Aden to Djibouti. Data from MarineTraffic confirmed that the ship reached its destination successfully.

The UKMTO also confirmed that the ship and its crew were unharmed and had received military support.

On Wednesday, the Houthis recommenced their maritime assaults after halting for over two weeks. They targeted another vessel associated with the US military, the Maersk Yorktown, along with what they called an Israeli vessel, the MSC Veracruz. The group has claimed responsibility for over 80 attacks on commercial ships since the previous November.