Houthi Rebels Claim Attacks on Red Sea and Gulf of Aden Ships

Houthi rebels claim targeting vessels in the Gulf of Aden and Red Sea, including an alleged Israeli cargo ship, amidst ongoing tensions and drone interceptions with the US military. (AP Photo)

Houthi rebels in Yemen have asserted that they targeted a cargo ship, the MSC Silver, which they claim to be Israeli, with missiles in the Gulf of Aden near the entrance to the Red Sea.

Yahya Sarea, the Houthi military spokesperson, stated on Tuesday that the group also used drones to target several United States warships in the Red Sea and Arabian Sea, along with sites in the southern Israeli resort town of Eilat.

Contrary to the Houthi claims, the British maritime security firm Ambrey identified the container ship targeted on Tuesday as Liberia-flagged, en route to Somalia. Ambrey clarified that the Houthis labeled the vessel as Israeli due to its operator’s association with ZIM Integrated Shipping Services Ltd, an Israeli international cargo shipping company.

The Houthi rebels, who hold sway over Yemen’s populous regions, have previously targeted vessels with ties to the US, the UK, and Israel. Despite airstrikes by the US and UK on Houthi military sites in Yemen, the rebels vow to persist in targeting ships linked to Israel until there is a cessation of Israeli military actions in Gaza.

Houthi spokesperson Mohammed Abdul Salam emphasized that as long as there are no aggressive operations, there is no threat to international or European navigation in the Red Sea. He called for urgent and comprehensive efforts to declare a ceasefire in Gaza for humanitarian reasons.

Two US officials reported on Tuesday that the Houthis had shot down a US military Mq-9 drone near Yemen, marking the second such incident in recent months. The officials stated that the drone, manufactured by General Atomics, was hit near the Yemeni port city of Hodeidah. The circumstances surrounding whether the drone was in international airspace remain unclear.

The Houthi claim of shooting down the drone near Hodeidah was corroborated by the US officials. In a separate incident, the Houthis announced on Monday that they had attacked the UK-registered Rubymar cargo vessel in the Gulf of Aden, heightening their efforts to disrupt global shipping in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.