Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Houthis suspected in Gulf of Aden blast

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JERUSALEM — A ship near the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait saw an explosion in the distance Wednesday, marking what may be a new attack by Yemen’s Houthi rebels through the crucial waterway for internatio­nal trade.

The explosion, reported by the British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center, comes after a relative lull from the Houthis after they launched dozens of attacks on shipping in the region over Israel’s ongoing war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

The Houthis did not immediatel­y claim responsibi­lity for the blast, but suspicion fell on the group as they’ve repeatedly targeted ships in the same area. It typically takes the Houthis several hours before acknowledg­ing their assaults.

The explosion happened some 80 miles southeast of Djibouti in the Gulf of Aden.

“The master of a merchant vessel reports an explosion in the water a distance from the vessel,” the operations center said. “Vessel and crew reported safe. Authoritie­s are investigat­ing.”

The private maritime security firm Ambrey separately reported the apparent attack.

The Houthis have launched more than 50 attacks on shipping, seized one vessel and sank another since November, according to the U.S. Maritime Administra­tion.

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