Yemen Navy Patrol Boat Attacked Off Zuqar Island, 3 Missing

According to Lianhe Zaobao citing Xinhua, a Yemeni government naval officer said a navy patrol boat was attacked by Houthi forces in the Red Sea off western Yemen, leaving three people missing. The officer, who was not named, said the patrol boat was returning from a military mission on Sunday, July 26, when it came under attack by armed men on several small boats near Zuqar Island. He said the patrol boat was destroyed and that the three people on board were missing. He added that the Houthis carried out the attack, but provided no evidence. The Houthis have not issued any statement on the incident. Earlier, Yemeni government forces said they had thwarted an attempt by several Houthi armed boats to approach Zuqar Island, which is about 52 nautical miles, or roughly 96 kilometers, from the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah and is considered strategically important.