Coalition: Houthis Fire Missile on UAE Ship

Houthis hold up their weapons as they ride on an armored vehicle near the strait of Bab al-Mandab, Oct. 2, 2015 (AP Photo/Wael Qubady)

Houthi insurgents have fired a guided missile at an Emirati ship off the coast of Yemen, injuring a crewman, the Saudi-led coalition has said.

The Command of Coalition for Supporting Legitimacy in Yemen said that the vessel was leaving the port of Mokha, in Yemen’s southwest, when the attack occurred but the ship itself was not damaged.

The historic port is just north of Bab al-Mandab which links the Red Sea with the Indian Ocean and is vital to global trade.

The Command confirmed in a statement carried by the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) that a thorough follow-up of the incident is being carried out to track down the perpetrators.

The Command renewed its warning that Houthis’ continued arms and ammunition smuggling activities into Yemeni territories affect the security of navigation in this vital part of the world, SPA said.

The statement called on the international community to pressure the insurgents and ousted Saleh’s forces to implement United Nations Security Council Resolution 2216 to prevent these criminal practices, the agency added.