Today, security services received reports about an explosion in the Red Sea near an unknown vessel. This is the first confirmed report in several days, and it came only hours after the Houthis renewed their threat through official channels.

The UK Maritime Trade Organization released only a few details about the incident that occurred today. A vessel reported an explosion on the surface of the water, approximately 72 nautical mile southeast of Djibouti. The statement said only that an explosion had occurred “at a distant” and that both the crew and vessel are safe.

Late today, a Houthi spokeswoman claimed responsibility, stating that they had targeted two ships, the Maersk Yorktown (28,000 dwt), a U.S. flagged containership operated under contract by the U.S. Military, and the MSC Veracruz (68,800 dwt). The MSC vessel was registered in Portugal. The Houthis have again attributed the MSC vessel to an “Israeli Ship” and claim that a U.S. Warship was also involved with today’s attack. UKMTO has so far only reported a distant explosion.

U.S. Centcom confirmed later that it intercepted a ballistic missile that was launched by Houthi controlled areas in Yemen, likely targeting Maersk Yorktown. They described the vessel as “a U.S. flagged, owned and operated vessel, with 18 U.S. crewmembers and four Greek crewmembers.” The coalition also confirmed they engaged and destroyed four unmanned aerial vehicles over Houthi controlled areas of Yemen. No confirmation was given that either the MSC ship or a U.S. Warship had been targeted. The Houthis said the drones targeted those two vessels.

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The Houthi militants posted a message on their official channels that read, “Political Bureau of Ansarullah : We hope the Armed Forces escalate operations against Zionist Navigation, and those associated with them in the Red Sea, Arabian Sea, Indian Ocean.” They also made new allegations of Israeli atrocities committed in Gaza. The group also cites various media reports, including the statistic that Red Sea Traffic had dropped by 66 percent.

In today’s status report, EUNAVOR Aspides stated that “the drop in confirmed attacks in the Red Sea in recent weeks, Bab el-Mandeb and the Gulf of Aden, shall not however dismiss the fact the Houthis still have the capability to launch such an attack,” The EUNAVOR Aspides also said, “Looking out at the vast Indian Ocean, the recent capture of a merchant ship in international waters near Hormuz – the fourth vessel of this kind currently being held hostage – shows that hijackings are still a threat in this part.

Aspides’ command reports that 85 merchant vessels have been protected since the mission was launched. The warships have been able to intercept or destroy nine drones, an unmanned surface vessel and four ballistics missiles.

The last report from the U.S. Central Command was on April 16 and stated that forces had successfully engaged two unmanned aircraft. Three days earlier, on April 13, the Houthis fired a single ballistic missile at the Gulf of Aden. The first half of April was a frenzy of activity, but it has slowed down in the second.