A significant incident unfolded in the Arabian Sea when a Portuguese-flagged container ship named MSC Orion came under attack by a drone, an assault that aligned with a claim by Yemen's Houthi rebels taking responsibility for the strike in that remote maritime region. The attack on the MSC Orion, located approximately 600 kilometers off the coast of Yemen, marked a notable development as it was the first known deep-sea assault attributed to the Houthis, who have previously targeted ships in the region since November. This attack highlighted the potential ability of the Houthis, possibly with support from Iran, to launch assaults extending into the vast expanse of the Indian Ocean, a capability they had threatened during their ongoing campaign relating to the conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
The Joint Maritime Information Center disclosed that the attack on the MSC Orion occurred last Friday, with the crew finding drone debris on board following the confrontation, although the ship sustained only minor damages and all personnel remained unharmed. The vessel, bound for Salalah, Oman, was identified in the attacked area on the day after the incident, based on ship-tracking satellite data scrutinized by The Associated Press. The MSC Orion was linked to Zodiac Maritime, a London-based entity belonging to Israeli billionaire Eyal Ofer's Zodiac Group, and operated in partnership with the Mediterranean Shipping Co., an Italian firm based in Naples. The Joint Maritime Information Center suggested that the vessel may have been targeted due to its perceived Israeli connections, as indicated in a report by the center.
Although Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree, a military spokesperson for the Houthi rebels, admitted to the attack on the MSC Orion, questions emerged regarding the rebels' capacity to conduct such long-range assaults on moving targets hundreds of kilometers from Yemen's shores. The Houthis have traditionally focused their attacks on areas closer to Yemen's coastline, like the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, essential waterways for global trade. Despite lacking a significant naval fleet or advanced technology for long-distance drone operations, the Houthis have been backed by Iran, which has been implicated in supporting their military operations, including a complex attack in 2019 on Saudi Arabia's oil facilities.