Three merchant ships attacked in Red Sea: report

UPDATE – 2:34 PM PST: US Central Command confirmed that four attacks were carried out today on three merchant vessels in the Red Sea. The Houthi rebel group in Yemen claimed responsibility for the attacks.

“These attacks pose a direct threat to international trade and maritime security,” US Central Command said in a statement. “They put the lives of international teams from various countries around the world at risk. We also have every reason to believe that these attacks, although launched by the Houthis in Yemen, are entirely enabled by Iran.”

The three merchant vessels named in the statement are the British Unity Explorer, which is flagged in the Bahamas, the number 9, a Panamanian-flagged container ship, and the Sophie II, which is also registered in Panama.

This afternoon’s statement concluded: “The United States will consider all appropriate responses in full coordination with its international allies and partners.”

PREVIOUS STORY – 8:29 AM PST: The Pentagon said a US warship and several merchant vessels were attacked in the Red Sea on Sunday.

“We are aware of reports of attacks on the USS Carney and merchant vessels in the Red Sea and will provide information as it becomes available,” the Pentagon said. The first report was published by The Associated Press.

The attack comes as industry experts from around the world gather at the Red Sea Film Festival in Saudi Arabia.

The Pentagon statement comes shortly after British officials said they had received information about a drone strike in the Bab al-Mandab Strait in the Red Sea. Sky News reports that British officials said the drone activity originated in Yemen.

The Pentagon did not say where it believed the attack fire came from. However, a US official told AP anonymously that the attack “started around 10 a.m. in Sanaa, Yemen, and lasted five hours.”

Yemen’s Houthi rebels have launched a series of attacks in the Red Sea, including firing drones and missiles at Israeli ships, since the conflict between the country and Hamas escalated.

The Bab al-Mandab Strait lies at the foot of the Red Sea, between Yemen and Djibouti in the Horn of Africa. The waters are approximately 1,107 km long and lie hundreds of kilometers south of Jeddah, where the Red Sea Film Festival is held. Deadline has reached out to the festival for comment.

The third edition of the festival opened on Thursday with a signature red carpet with stars like Michelle Williams, Johnny Depp, Sharon Stone and Will Smith. The opening had more of a local flavor than the first two editions, but with an Arabic film, the fantasy adventure became HWJNwhich opened the festival for the first time.

The festival lasts until December 9.