Egypt denies link to ship targeted off Yemen, condemns Red Sea attacks

Egypt on Thursday denied any link to a ship targeted off Yemen earlier this week, while condemning attacks on ships and maritime navigation in the Red Sea.

The Transport Ministry said reports linking the targeted vessel to Egypt or its ports were false.

The denial came after media outlets and social media platforms reported that Yemen’s Houthi group had targeted a ship off the Yemeni coast and that the operating company’s address was in Alexandria, northern Egypt.

“The vessel was flying the Tanzanian flag, owned by a Yemeni national and operated by a company based in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates,” the ministry said.

It added that the ship was not registered with Egyptian shipping chambers and had not received a license to conduct maritime agency work through Egypt’s maritime transport and logistics sector.

“The ship had never entered Egyptian ports, was not heading to Egypt and did not carry any cargo belonging to Egyptians,” the ministry said.

Separately, Egypt’s Foreign Ministry said Cairo “condemns the targeting of ships in the Red Sea.”

It cited a Yemeni commercial ship flying the Tanzanian flag that was attacked Tuesday with missiles while sailing off Yemen’s coast south of Mokha port in the Bab al-Mandab Strait, as well as a Saudi oil tanker targeted on July 25.

“Such attacks represent a serious threat to the security and safety of navigation in the Red Sea,” the ministry said, adding that it is one of the world’s most important international waterways.

Read: War pulls in more countries

Egypt renewed its “categorical rejection of all acts targeting ships and civilian facilities or threatening the security and freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and international waterways.”

Attacks in the Red Sea often reduce traffic through Egypt’s Suez Canal, causing financial losses for Cairo as ships divert to alternative routes to avoid security risks.

Last week, two ships caught fire at Egypt’s northern Damietta port after being targeted by a drone in an attack not claimed by any party. Cairo is still investigating the incident.

Since July 20, tensions have escalated in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden after the Houthis announced a “naval blockade” on ships linked to Saudi Arabia.

Three days later, Riyadh said one of its ships had come under attack and, the following day, carried out strikes on Houthi sites in Yemen’s western Hudaydah province, saying they were used to threaten maritime navigation.

Saudi Arabia also announced the formation of a defensive naval coalition to protect freedom of navigation in the Bab al-Mandab Strait, including the US, Yemen, Kuwait, Oman, Jordan, Sudan, Morocco, the Maldives, Bangladesh and New Zealand.

Since 2015, Saudi Arabia has led a coalition backing Yemen’s internationally recognised government, while Iran is accused of supporting the Houthis, who have controlled provinces and cities, including the capital Sanaa, since 2014.

Read More: 'All Crew Muslim': ships look to dodge Red Sea attacks with messages

Meanwhile, two people were killed and 15 others injured on Thursday in a Houthi drone attack on a military camp in eastern Yemen, according to a government-aligned television channel.

Aljoumhouriya TV reported that the attack targeted a camp of the 3rd Division of the government’s Nation’s Shield Forces in the Al-Abr desert area of Hadramout province.

There was no immediate statement from the Yemeni government or the Nation’s Shield Forces on the attack.

The Houthi group also issued no immediate comment.