The United Kingdom's Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency reported that it has received information on the unauthorized boarding of a ship near Oman this morning, as conveyed by Bloomberg News.
Earlier today, the agency mentioned an incident occurring approximately 50 nautical miles east of the Omani port of Sohar and stated that it is currently unable to establish further communication with the ship. The authorities are investigating the incident, as announced in a statement on the XN platform, without providing additional details.
The British maritime authority has advised ships navigating in the region to exercise caution and report any suspicious activities.
On Wednesday, the Yemeni Houthi group announced that they targeted an American ship in the Red Sea, claiming it was supporting Israel.
These developments follow a week after a warning issued by 12 countries led by the United States to the Houthis that they would face consequences unless they ceased targeting commercial vessels in the Red Sea, one of the most critical maritime corridors for global trade.
The Houthis have been threatening to attack ships linked to Israel or bound for its ports, in support of Palestinians in Gaza amidst the ongoing conflict with Israel that commenced on October 7th.
Political Play
In related news, a leader of the Houthi group, Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, described the United Nations' decision regarding maritime security in the Red Sea as a "political game".
Writing on the XN platform, he stated, "It is the United States that violates international law."
The Houthi, who is the head of the group's Supreme Revolutionary Committee, added that "the actions of the Yemeni armed forces are within the realm of legitimate defense, and any act that confronts them will have a reaction."
On Wednesday, the UN Security Council demanded the immediate cessation of Houthi attacks on ships in the Red Sea and implicitly supported a task force led by the United States to protect the vessels, warning of escalating tensions.
In response, Mohammed al-Houthi called on the Security Council to "immediately lift the Israeli-American blockade which has turned into a deadly weapon, with Gaza becoming the largest prison where collective criminal punishment is practiced."
