The Houthi rebels have launched a number of attacks on Israeli ships or ones linked to Israel since the Gaza war broke out in October. The Yemeni rebel group uses a variety of missiles and drones to attack these ships in the Red Sea.
Though the Iranian-backed rebel group has constantly attempted unmanned sea vehicle (USV) attacks after launching their assault on shipping in November in the wake of the Israel-Hamas war, this incident marked the first time they actually struck a ship during this current campaign.
On 20 July 2024, a Houthi USV approached a Liberian-flagged container ship, Pumba, in the Red Sea. As the boat drone drew closer, Pumba’s security crew fired about two dozen shots in 14 seconds from their Steyr rifles. A video of the incident showed the USV exploding after the last of those shots.