The authority indicated that the missiles were fired from a small vessel, while the identity of the targeted vessel or the party carrying out the attack is not yet known.
The authority said in a statement via the X platform that it had received reports from a third party regarding "an incident that occurred 51 nautical miles west of Hodeidah," without specifying the type of vessel or its owner. It confirmed that the attack was carried out using several rocket-propelled grenades launched from a small boat, noting that investigations are ongoing to determine the circumstances of the incident.
It also urged vessels transiting the area to exercise caution and immediately report any suspicious activity. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack.
This is the second incident of its kind within 24 hours. The authority reported on Sunday that another ship was targeted a similar distance southwest of the Houthi-controlled city of Hodeidah. According to the statement, the ship was attacked by several small boats using small arms fire and self-propelled grenades. The armed security team on board responded to the sources of fire, but there were no confirmed reports of casualties or damage.
In a related development, the Houthi group announced Monday morning that the commercial vessel Magic Seas had sunk in the Red Sea after being targeted on Sunday, citing its violation of the group's decision banning ships from entering Israeli ports. The group's military spokesman, Yahya Saree, said in an official statement: "The Magic Seas completely sank in the depths of the sea after our armed forces targeted it, in response to repeated violations by its owner of the decision banning entry to the ports of occupied Palestine."
He added that "three of the company's ships entered Israeli ports over the past week, despite repeated warnings and appeals issued by the group's naval forces." Saree revealed that the attack targeting the ship included two unmanned boats, five ballistic and cruise missiles, and three drones.
This escalation comes in the context of the Houthis' response to the ongoing Israeli war on the Gaza Strip since October 7, 2023, which they have described as "genocide." The group has targeted Israeli cargo ships or those linked to Israel, in addition to vessels heading to Israeli ports.
This war, with direct American support, resulted in the martyrdom and injury of approximately 194,000 Palestinians, most of them children and women. It also left more than 10,000 missing, hundreds of thousands displaced, and a famine that claimed the lives of many, including dozens of children. Repeated international calls and orders from the International Court of Justice to halt the aggression were completely ignored.
