A merchant vessel reported being targeted by small arms fire in the Red Sea, approximately 92 nautical miles northeast of Massawa port in Eritrea, according to British maritime security firm Ambrey.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) later confirmed receiving a report of a small boat with armed individuals approaching a coastal freighter about 95 nautical miles northeast of Massawa.
UKMTO noted that authorities are currently investigating the incident. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack so far.
In recent months, Iran-aligned Houthi militants have conducted multiple drone and missile attacks on ships in the Red Sea, Bab al-Mandab Strait, and Gulf of Aden, targeting vessels linked to Israel or the United States amid the ongoing Gaza conflict.
These attacks have led to increased shipping routes around southern Africa, raising concerns about further regional instability.
