September 1, 2025
Yemen’s Houthi movement on Monday claimed it fired a missile at the Liberian-flagged tanker Scarlet Ray in the Red Sea, asserting a direct hit on the vessel.
However, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), which monitors incidents in the region, reported that the ship’s crew only witnessed “a splash in proximity to their vessel from an unknown projectile and heard a loud bang.” The agency confirmed that no damage or casualties occurred, and the vessel continued its journey safely.
Maritime security company Ambrey identified Scarlet Ray as Israeli-owned, though this has not been independently verified.
The incident comes just days after an Israeli airstrike in Sanaa killed Houthi Prime Minister Ahmed al-Rahawi, a development confirmed by multiple international outlets. In July, the Houthis sank two Liberian-flagged merchant bulk carriers, Eternity C and Magic Seas, in the Red Sea, heightening risks to international shopping.