Maersk disputes claim from Yemen's Houthi rebels that cargo ship was struck

Containers are seen on the Maersk Gibraltar in the port of Algeciras, Spain, on Jan. 19. (Reuters/Jon Nazca)

Dutch shipping company Maersk on Friday is disputing a claim from the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen that one of its cargo ships was struck by a drone yesterday near the entrance of the Red Sea.

The Houthis said it executed a military operation on the Maersk ship and registered a direct hit with a drone, according to Reuters.

But a Maersk spokesperson told the news agency that the Maersk Gibraltar "was not hit."

The company said yesterday that the ship was targeted by a missile near the Bab al-Mandab Strait at the entrance of the Red Sea while traveling from Oman to Saudi Arabia.