Newsnomics AJAY ANGELINA reporter |

Pakistan-bound ship on its route from King Abdullah port, Saudi Arabia to Karachi port was attacked in the Red Sea on Tuesday, but there were no casualties onboard.

MSC, the Mediterranean Shipping Co said, “the United VIII was attacked while transiting the Red Sea on Tuesday. All crew are safe with no reported injuries and a thorough assessment of the vessel is being conducted."

It said the ship had informed a nearby coalition naval warship about the attack and had taken evasive maneuvers.

The Houthi militia claimed to have fired missiles at the vessel, without saying it was struck. 

The Israeli military said in a separate statement that its aircraft intercepted “hostile aerial target” in the area of the Red Sea. However, the military did not elaborate.

Yahya Sarea, the Houthi military spokesperson said in a televised address, “the group had targeted the vessel, which he identified as the MSC United, after the crew failed to respond to warnings.”

The spokesperson mentioned that the Houthis had carried out a military operation targeting Eilat and other areas in Israel, which he referred to as occupied Palestine. He did not say whether any of the targets were successfully hit.

In recent weeks, the Huthis have launched more than 100 drone and missile attacks, targeting several vessels in the Red Sea, they say have Israeli links or are sailing to Israel, in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.

On Saturday, a drone strike damaged a ship on its route from Saudi Arabia to India off the coast of Indian state of Gujarat but caused no casualties, said two maritime agencies.

On Tuesday, India also reported a blast at close proximity to Israel embassy in New Delhi.

Moreover, a drone was downed near the Egyptian Red Sea resort city of Dahab on Tuesday, two security sources told Reuters. 

Earlier in December, Egyptian air defenses shot down a suspected drone near Dahab, security sources had said.

US fighter jets, a navy destroyer and other assets shot down in the Red Sea 12 drones, three anti-ship ballistic missiles, and two cruise missiles fired by the Houthis, reported by the US Central Command. But no damage to ships and no injuries has been reported, written on social media platform X.

Earlier, Maritime Trade Operations Authority of Britain's United Kingdom reported two incidents of explosions in the Red Sea off of the coast of Yemen involving missiles and drones near a vessel but no injuries reported.

Since the start of the Israel-Hamas war on October 7, several shipping lines have suspended operations through the Red Sea waterway in response to the attacks, instead taking the longer route around Africa, despite the higher fuel costs of much longer voyages.