British Maritime Authority Discusses Incident off Eritrea

The British Maritime Trade Operations said early Tuesday that it received a report about a small boat sailing around a vessel in the Red Sea, approximately 57 nautical miles northwest of the Eritrean city of Assab. The authority added in an advisory note that the ship and its crew are safe and are sailing towards their next destination after security personnel on board fired "warning shots and the small boat departed." The authorities are investigating the incident. The Houthis have intensified their attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea in protest of the Israeli war in Gaza. Various shipping lines have halted their operations and rerouted their ships away from the Red Sea. A Houthi official stated that the movement will expand its targets in the Red Sea to include American ships and pledged to continue the attacks following U.S. and British strikes on its positions in Yemen.