Foreign media reports that the Houthi militants claimed to have successfully launched an attack on the "MSC Aby" container ship using "two drones and a winged missile," however, the vessel appears to have not been attacked and has safely reached its destination port.

According to Automatic Identification System (AIS) data, the ship departed from Suez Port in Egypt and has arrived at Jeddah Port in Saudi Arabia. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) is responsible for providing security alerts and reports in the region and has not yet received any reports related to this incident.

Reports from the Houthi militants regarding attacks on ships are not always reliable. Earlier this week, they claimed to have successfully hit the "Scarlet Ray" oil tanker with a ballistic missile, but the vessel reported only splashing water, with no damage to the ship or crew, continuing its voyage.

The Houthi militant report did not specify the exact date of the attack. According to AIS data, the container ship "MSC Aby" arrived at Jeddah Port in Saudi Arabia at 7:42 on September 2.

Until earlier this week, the ship's route was north of the most recent incidents of Houthi attacks on commercial vessels. The attack on the "Scarlet Ray" oil tanker on August 31 set a new northern limit, placing the shipping lane to Jeddah entirely within the operational area of the Yemeni group.

The Houthi militants claim to target only vessels related to Israel, vessels bound for Israel, and vessels owned by companies serving Israeli ports. According to AIS data, "MSC Aby" has not recently docked at Israeli ports but did so in Ashdod Port in 2023.

Mediterranean Shipping Company vessels frequently serve Israeli ports, which may explain why the Houthi militants targeted the "MSC Aby."

Mediterranean Shipping Company offers the transatlantic "EMUSA" route, connecting the U.S. East Coast and the Mediterranean. AIS data shows that "MSC Melani III" docked at Haifa Port in Israel on September 1, while "MSC Mombasa" and "MSC Zoe" are headed to Ashdod Port.

The Houthi militants perceive the Mediterranean Shipping Company as being associated with Israel, leading to multiple attacks on the company's vessels, including several successful ones.

In June 2024, "Tavvishi" was damaged in an attack, and in March 2024, "Sky II" caught fire.