Yemen’s Houthis Claim Attacks on Ships in Red Sea
Yemen’s Houthi rebels, a group aligned with Iran, announced on Friday that they had targeted two commercial vessels sailing in the Red Sea with drones and missiles. However, there hasn’t been any independent verification of these claimed attacks.
Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree announced in a televised address, stating that the group used “several drones and ballistic and naval missiles” to strike the vessels named Elbella and AAL GENOA. He did not provide a specific date for the attacks.
News agency Reuters reported that they couldn’t find any reports of incidents in the Red Sea on the day the Houthis claimed the attacks. Eastern Mediterranean Maritime, the company managing the Elbella, a container ship flagged by Malta, declined to comment on the situation. Efforts by Reuters to reach the owner or manager of the AAL Genoa, a general cargo vessel flying the flag of Cyprus, were unsuccessful at the time of the report.
In a separate development, the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) acknowledged that the Houthis had launched four ballistic missiles targeting ships in the Red Sea within the previous 24 hours. However, CENTCOM confirmed there were no casualties or damage caused by these missiles.
The US military, in a social media post, reported that their forces had successfully intercepted and destroyed a Houthi drone launched from a region under their control in Yemen. The post also mentioned the destruction of a Houthi patrol boat in the Red Sea.
This isn’t the first time the Houthis have targeted ships in the Red Sea. Since November, the group has carried out a series of attacks on vessels sailing near Yemen, claiming these actions are in support of Palestinians in Gaza. These attacks have significantly disrupted international shipping in the Red Sea, forcing companies to take longer and more expensive routes around South Africa. The situation has also heightened concerns that the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas could escalate and destabilize the entire Middle East region.
The United States and Britain have responded to the Houthi attacks on shipping with airstrikes against Houthi targets in Yemen.
The owners and managers of the targeted ships also remained silent. Eastern Mediterranean Maritime, managing the Elbella, a container ship flagged by Malta, declined to comment. Efforts by Reuters to reach the owner or manager of the AAL Genoa, a general cargo vessel flagged by Cyprus, were unsuccessful.
The United States Central Command offered a contrasting view. They acknowledged that the Houthis launched four ballistic missiles over the Red Sea in the past 24 hours, but emphasized there were no injuries or damage reported. Additionally, the US military stated they destroyed a Houthi drone launched from Yemen towards the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, along with a Houthi patrol boat in the Red Sea.
This is not an isolated incident. Since November, the Houthis have been conducting attacks on ships near Yemen, expressing solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. These actions have disrupted international shipping, forcing companies to reroute vessels on longer and more expensive journeys around South Africa. The situation has also heightened concerns that the conflict between Israel and Hamas could escalate and destabilize the entire Middle East.
In response to the Houthi attacks on shipping, the US and Britain have launched airstrikes against Houthi targets. Further intensifying the situation, the leader of the Houthis, Abdul Malik al-Houthi, declared on Thursday that their operations against Israel, conducted in collaboration with the Iraqi group Islamic Resistance, would be amplified.
Further escalating tensions, Abdul Malik al-Houthi, the leader of the Houthi rebels, announced on Thursday that his group, along with the Iraqi organization Islamic Resistance, would be intensifying their operations against Israel.
The lack of independent confirmation regarding the latest claimed attacks by the Houthis makes it difficult to assess the situation definitively. However, the ongoing conflict in Yemen and the targeting of ships in the Red Sea pose a significant threat to regional stability and international trade.
