A drone boat carrying stacks of high explosives piloted by Yemens Houthi rebel forces slammed into a British oil tanker in the Red Sea and triggered a huge explosion on Tuesday, shocking new footage has revealed.
A shocking clip captured the moment the Panama-flagged Cordelia Moon was engulfed in flames as a massive blast ripped through its port-side tank, sending thick plumes of smoke billowing into the sky.
The devastating attack, swiftly claimed by the Iran-backed Houthis, unfolded roughly 110 kilometres (70 miles) off the Yemeni port city of Hodeidah, which as in recent days sustained a series of airstrikes by Israels air force.
Fortunately, the ship reported its crew were unharmed - but the captain of a nearby vessel told US Navy officials operating in the area that he heard four loud splashes at the time of the attack.
It is suspected these sounds were the impact of missiles missing the Cordelia Moon and landing in the sea.
A Houthi spokesperson said their assault on the tanker comprised the drone boat carrying high explosives along with one aerial drone and eight missiles.
The oil tanker Cordelia Moon bursts into flames after being hit by a missile in the Red Sea, off Yemens Red Sea Port of Hodeida, in this screengrab from a video released on October 1, 2024
A shocking clip captured the moment the Panama-flagged Cordelia Moon was engulfed in flames as a massive blast ripped through its port-side tank
The devastating attack, swiftly claimed by the Iran-backed Houthis, unfolded roughly 110 kilometres (70 miles) off the Yemeni port city of Hodeidah
Panama-flagged tanker Cordelia Moon transits the Bosphorus in Istanbul, Turkey, August 25, 2024
A second vessel, the Liberia-flagged bulker en route to the Suez Canal, also came under fire earlier this week.
It sustained considerable damage after being hit by a missile around 177 kilometres (110 miles) northwest of Hodeidah, according to British security firm Ambrey and maritime sources.
These strikes mark the Houthis first assault on commercial vessels in weeks, adding to fears that the ongoing conflict between Israel and Lebanon could ignite a broader regional war.
Just a day earlier, the Houthis had warned of escalating military action against Israel after its forces reportedly downed an American military drone over Yemeni airspace.
It comes as Israel continues its brutal offensive in Lebanon, the West Bank and Gaza.
Fortunately the crew are reported to have been unharmed
Yemeni tribesmen belonging to the Houthi movement participate in a popular parade and rally held to support Palestinians and against the US-UK aerial attacks on Yemen, on February 7, 2024, in Sanaa, Yemen
New Houthi recruits ride a vehicle during a parade against the United States and Israel, in Sanaa, Yemen, 07 February 2024
Israels air force conducted another devastating airstrike near Beirut airport overnight in an attempt to wipe out Hezbollahs heir apparent after former chief Hassan Nasrallah was killed one week ago.
The Israeli air force launched wave upon wave of punishing strikes in Beiruts southern suburbs overnight into this morning, battering the Dahiyeh area where Hezbollahs underground headquarters are based.
But one enormous cacophony of explosions that shook buildings for miles around suggested Israel had deployed yet more Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAMs) - bombs designed to penetrate deep into underground structures.
Unconfirmed Israeli media reports said the IAF had targeted Hashem Safieddine, another hardline cleric and cousin of Nasrallah who many analysts believed was a shoo-in to replace the slain Hezbollah leader.
It is unclear whether Saffieddine was present at the site of the attack.
A photographer runs for cover as a smoke raises in the background following an Israeli airstrike in Dahiyeh, Beirut, Lebanon, Friday, Oct. 4, 2024
Smokes and flames rise over Dahieh area after the Israeli army carried out airstrikes in the south of the capital Beirut, Lebanon on October 03, 2024
Smoke billows over the southern suburbs of Beirut and its surroundings, amid the ongoing hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, as seen from Sin El Fil, Lebanon October 4, 2024
Residents run for cover following an Israeli airstrike in Dahiyeh, Beirut, Lebanon, Friday, Oct. 4, 2024
The intense bombardment came after the IDF issued yet another evacuation order for communities across southern Lebanon.
Lebanese citizens were told to leave Nabatieh, a provincial capital, and other communities north of the Litani River, which formed the northern edge of the border zone established by the UN Security Council after the 2006 war in a resolution that both sides accuse the other of violating.
Israel also conducted one of its most deadly strikes in the West Bank in decades overnight, with at least 18 people said to have been killed at the Tulkarm refugee camp, Palestinian health authorities claim.
The IDF reported its strike killed Hamas leader Zahi Yaser Abd al-Razeq Oufi, who it accused of participating in numerous attacks.