The United States says that two cargo ships in the Red Sea were attacked by missiles from Yemen.
One person was attacked by a drone and another by missiles from a region in Yemen controlled by the Houthis, a rebel group supported by Iran.
They were attacked in a narrow strait of water called Bab El Mandab, which is very important for world trade.
There was another attack on foreign ships in the area during the Israel-Hamas war.
The Houthis, who took control nine years ago, have said they back Hamas and are attacking ships heading to Israel.
A person from the US military said that they know something from an area in Yemen controlled by Houthi rebels hit a ship and caused damage, and there was also a fire reported.
The large ship, named Al Jasrah, is owned by a German company called Hapag-Lloyd and registered in Liberia.
A Hapag-Lloyd spokesperson told AFP that the ship was traveling to Singapore from a port in Greece called Piraeus. No one got hurt and the ship is moving towards where it needs to go.
Second boat was attacked.
On Friday, a US defense official said a ballistic missile hit another ship flying the flag of Liberia in the Bab El Mandab. The missile started a fire and a US Navy ship was on the way to stop it.
Israel wants the US to take action against the attacks, but the US is worried that doing so could make the situation with Israel and Hamas worse and lead to Iran fighting back.
Instead, there would probably be a group of different countries’ ships working together to protect ships and take down any missiles or drones that come their way.
US national security adviser Jake Sullivan, who is visiting the Middle East, said the Houthis are a big threat to shipping and trade in the area.
He said Iran is mostly to blame for the attacks. He said that even though the Houthis are carrying out the attacks, Iran is the one giving them the weapons to do it.
“Iran needs to stop these attacks on its own because they are a big problem for international law and peace. ”
More things happened in the area on Friday. There was a report about another ship being taken over in a different place.
The UK’s maritime trade agency got a report that a ship’s crew lost control of the ship and it’s now going towards Somalia in the Arabian Sea.
“At the moment, the UKMTO said that all crew members are safe. ”
On Friday, Ambrey, a company that protects ships at sea, said that a ship called MSC ALANYA, registered in Liberia, was approached by a small boat with Houthi members who told the ship to go in a different direction.
No one has admitted to causing the incidents.
The recent attacks are happening after a few attacks in the southern Red Sea. This is making insurance more expensive for ships and some might have to take a longer route around South Africa to avoid the Red Sea.
The Houthis are in a war with the government of Yemen that is supported by Saudi Arabia. They say they are part of a group of countries that oppose Israel, the US, and the West, and are connected to Iran.
This month, they attacked many commercial ships. A US warship had to step in. In November, they stole a cargo ship.
Warships from the US, France, and Britain are watching over the Red Sea and have used missiles to shoot down several flying objects.
The Bab El Mandeb Strait is a 20-mile wide pathway that divides Eritrea and Djibouti from Yemen.
Around 17,000 boats and 10% of all the world’s trading pass through it each year. Every ship that goes to or from the Indian Ocean has to pass through the Suez Canal.