Yemen's Houthis kill 16 government troops; cargo ship reports attack in Red Sea

A cargo ship reported being under attack by unknown armed assailants Sunday off the coast of Yemen in the Red Sea, the British military said. The incident occurred near the port city of Hodeidah, which is controlled by the Houthi rebels.

Separately, Houthi rebels killed 16 government-aligned troops in an attack south of Hodeidah over the weekend. Medical officials reported 16 dead and 22 wounded, with one officer calling it the "deadliest Houthi attack in years." The fighting, which began late Friday, involved snipers, drones, and mortars, and resulted in the Houthis briefly controlling pro-government positions before they were retaken.

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under attack by unknown armed assailants

The Houthis, who have been at war with the internationally recognized government since 2015, control Yemen's capital Sanaa and much of the north. Their attacks during the Gaza war previously forced shipping companies to reroute vessels around Africa. The rebels control Hodeidah on Yemen's western Red Sea coast, while the government holds most of the south. A UN-negotiated truce has largely frozen the fighting since 2022, but the Houthis recently threatened airports and vital assets in Saudi Arabia.

The cargo ship reported that a skiff approached and opened fire, prompting security guards to return fire. The skiff then returned to a larger ship nearby with its automatic identification system switched off. The cargo ship and its crew were reported safe, and authorities are investigating. No group immediately claimed responsibility for the ship attack, though a Houthi spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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deadliest Houthi attack in years