Daijiworld Media Network – Aden

Aden, Jun 10: A commercial cargo vessel transiting international waters off the coast of Yemen was involved in a brief exchange of fire with an armed group after a suspicious boat approached the ship, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO).

The incident occurred approximately 88 nautical miles southwest of Yemen's Balhaf region, a key maritime corridor linking global shipping routes.

In a security advisory, UKMTO said the cargo vessel reported being approached by a small craft carrying six armed individuals.

The situation escalated when the vessel's onboard security personnel responded to what was perceived as a potential threat.

"There was an exchange of fire between the small craft and the vessel's armed security team, and the craft then turned away," the maritime monitoring agency said.

No casualties or damage to the vessel were reported, and the incident ended without further escalation.

The latest confrontation comes amid heightened tensions in the Red Sea and surrounding waters following recent threats issued by Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi movement.

On Monday, Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree announced a ban on Israeli maritime navigation in the Red Sea, warning that vessels linked to Israel could be targeted.

Saree said the group would intensify its operations in response to developments in the wider Middle East conflict.

"Escalation will be met with escalation, and our operations will intensify in accordance with developments," he said during an official broadcast.

The Houthis also claimed responsibility for missile attacks targeting central Israel, describing the strikes as part of a broader response to Israeli military actions in Gaza, Lebanon and Iran.

Under what the group called the "Unity of the Fronts" strategy, Saree said Houthi forces had launched missiles at targets in "occupied Jaffa", referring to the Tel Aviv area.
Israeli authorities confirmed that rockets were launched from Yemen earlier this week, although no injuries were reported.

The latest maritime incident underscores growing security concerns in one of the world's most strategically important shipping corridors, through which a significant portion of global trade and energy supplies passes.