• A missile attack by Yemen’s Houthi rebels on the Minervagracht injured two mariners and forced an evacuation.
• The attack, claimed by the Houthis, marks an escalation of their campaign against shipping in the region.
• The assault is believed to be a response to the ongoing conflict in Gaza, with tensions heightened by UN sanctions on Iran.

A missile attack by Yemen’s Houthi rebels set ablaze the Dutch-flagged cargo ship Minervagracht in the Gulf of Aden on Monday, injuring two crew members and forcing the evacuation of its 19 sailors. The strike, which left the vessel adrift, marked the most significant assault by the Houthis in this region, a departure from their previous operations largely focused in the Red Sea, according to SCMP and LA Times.

The Houthi military spokesman, Brigadier General Yahya Saree, claimed the missile strike was in retaliation for alleged violations by the ship’s owners regarding the entry ban to ports they describe as "occupied Palestine." This latest attack underscores the Houthis' expanding operational reach and ongoing campaign against shipping, fueled by tensions from the conflict in Gaza, according to India Times and India Times.

The attack occurred shortly after previous unsuccessful attempts to strike the Minervagracht—a vessel reportedly without ties to Israel—as confirmed by the U.S. Navy-overseen Joint Maritime Information Center. Previous Houthi strikes have disrupted maritime trade significantly in the Red Sea, which is crucial for global shipping, where about $1 trillion worth of goods transits annually, according to SCMP and LA Times.