A Houthi rebel attack in Yemen led to an explosion near a Liberian-flagged ship in the Red Sea

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – An attack by Houthi rebels in Yemen led to an explosion near a Liberian-flagged container ship in the Red Sea on Monday, although the explosion did not cause any damage, authorities said.

The British Army's Maritime Trade Operations Center said the ship's captain reported the explosion and said no one was hurt. The UKMTO later identified the vessel as the Pinocchio, operated by a Singaporean company.

Private security company Ambrey says the incident may have been related to a missile, but information remains scarce.

The Houthi military spokesman, Brig. Gen. Yahya Sarie claimed responsibility for the attack early Tuesday in a recorded statement, claiming that the Pinocchio was an American ship without providing evidence to support that assertion. He also claimed that the ship was hit by “naval missiles,” and again provided no evidence to support his claim.

He said that the Houthis will continue their attacks with the aim of putting pressure on ending the war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip. However, Houthi attacks targeting ships since November have had little or no connection to Israel, the United States, or other countries involved in the war.

Monday's attack comes after a Houthi missile hit a commercial ship in the Gulf of Aden last week, killing three crew members and forcing survivors to abandon the ship.

This was the first fatal strike in a campaign of attacks launched by the Iranian-backed group due to the Israeli war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The Houthis say the attacks aim to pressure Israel to stop the war, but their goals are increasingly unrelated to the conflict.

Other recent Houthi actions include an attack last month on a cargo ship carrying fertilizer, the Rubimar, which later sank after drifting for several days, and the downing of a US drone worth tens of millions of dollars.

The United States has led a series of air strikes targeting the Houthis since January, but has yet to stop the rebel attacks on shipping, which have disrupted trade through the Red Sea, an important waterway for energy and cargo shipments between Asia and the Middle East. And Europe.