In a concerning development, Danish shipping company Maersk announced that one of its vessels, the Maersk Gibraltar, was targeted by a missile near the entrance of the Red Sea. The incident occurred near the Bab al-Mandab Strait, just days after a Norwegian tanker was also attacked in the same area by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels.

According to Reuters, at the time of the targeting, the container ship was en route from Salalah, Oman, to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Fortunately, the crew and the ship have reported themselves safe.

Expressing deep concern, Maersk stated, "The recent attacks on commercial vessels in the Bad al-Mandab Strait are extremely concerning. The current situation puts seafarer lives at risk and is unsustainable for global trade." The company further emphasized that this issue cannot be resolved by the shipping industry alone and called for political action to ensure a swift de-escalation.

In response to these incidents, there have been discussions about establishing a U.S.-backed task force to protect ships in the Red Sea. However, Iran, through its Defense Minister Mohammad Reza Ashtiani, warned that such a move would cause "extraordinary problems" in the region. Ashtiani's comments, published by the Iranian Student News Agency, emphasized Iran's claim of predominance in the region and the potential repercussions of any action taken.

The tensions in the Red Sea have escalated recently, with the U.S. Navy destroyer USS Mason shooting down a Houthi drone coming from Yemen on Wednesday, according to a U.S. defense official. The Pentagon has condemned the Houthi attacks as "dangerous" and a flagrant violation of international law.

Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, during a press briefing, called the Houthi actions "disturbing" and stressed that this is an international problem requiring an international solution. Ryder mentioned that consultations with international allies and partners are ongoing, with the goal of implementing a maritime task force.

The situation in the Red Sea remains tense, with commercial vessels at risk and global trade potentially affected. The international community is now grappling with the complexities of resolving this issue while ensuring the safety of seafarers and the stability of global trade routes.