The Houthi movement in Yemen says it has struck a US merchant ship it named as KOI in the Red Sea in a fresh attack targeting commercial shipping.
But two maritime sources told BBC Verify that the Houthi claim was fake. US and UK authorities are yet to say whether an attack took place.
Security firm Ambrey said a ship located south of Yemen reported a blast on its starboard but did not name it.
Meanwhile, the US launched new air strikes in Yemen.
Ten drones reportedly being set up to launch were targeted in the strike.
According to Reuters news agency, the KOI is a Liberian-flagged container ship operated by UK-based Oceonix Services. The same company’s fleet includes the oil tanker Marlin Luanda, which was damaged by a missile on Saturday.
The Houthis regard all Israeli, US and British ships as legitimate targets following Israel’s war on Hamas in Gaza, and US and British targeting of Houthi missile positions in what the two countries say are efforts to protect commerce.
Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea said on Wednesday that the movement’s armed forces had targeted an American merchant ship named KOI with “several appropriate naval missiles”.
The ship, he said, had been heading to “the ports of occupied Palestine”, a phrase which is sometimes used to mean Israel.
However industry publication Trade Winds said that the claim was “fake” and that in fact a sick crew member had been taken off the ship in a medical evacuation.
Two maritime security sources supported this assessment. There has also been no word from UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), which normally sends alerts when such attacks are carried out.
But Mr Sarea reiterated that the Houthis would “not hesitate” to retaliate against “British-American escalation”.
“All American and British ships in the Red and Arabian Seas are legitimate targets for the Yemeni Armed Forces as long as the American-British aggression against our country continues,” the Houthi spokesman said.
