The United States reports that missiles from Houthi forces were launched at a cargo ship and a U.S. warship in the Red Sea during attacks on rebels backed by Iran.
fired a missile at a Saudi Arabian city
Houthi rebels, supported by Iran, launched a missile towards a city in Saudi Arabia.
On Monday, the U.S. military and the operator of a container ship called the M/V Gibraltar Eagle confirmed that a rebel group launched an anti-ship ballistic missile at the vessel, which is registered in the Marshall Islands and owned by a U.S. company. Despite a small fire in the ship’s hold, there were no injuries or major damage reported on the civilian ship as the group continues to target international shipping in the Red Sea.
Earlier today, around 2 p.m. in Yemen, the U.S. military’s Central Command reported detecting an anti-ship ballistic missile being launched towards the Southern Red Sea commercial shipping lanes. The statement was posted on social media and confirmed that the cargo ship was attacked. The missile ultimately failed and landed on land in Yemen, causing no injuries or damage.
The most recent strikes on merchant ships occurred one day after CENTCOM announced that they had intercepted a cruise missile launched by the Houthis towards the U.S. warship USS Laboon in the Red Sea. This marked the first known attack by the Houthis on a U.S. warship since military forces from the U.S. and U.K. began targeting the group in response to numerous attacks on cargo ships in the important shipping area, which is backed by Iran.
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Saudi-led coalition airstrikes
The Houthis have been attacking ships in the Red Sea using missiles and drones loaded with explosives for several weeks. They argue that this is a justified retaliation for airstrikes by the Saudi-led coalition., which controls the Gaza Strip, has escalated in recent weeks.
The conflict between Israel and the Palestinian organization Hamas, which holds power in the Gaza Strip, has intensified in recent weeks.
In the Gaza Strip region.
Houthi rebels promise to persist with assaults in the Red Sea following military strikes led by the United States.
The U.S. and allied strikes had not dissuaded
Mohammed Abdulsalam, a key political negotiator for the rebel group, informed Reuters that the Houthis will persist in their efforts to prevent attacks on cargo ships in the important shipping route, including those bound for occupied Palestine.
The agency for U.K. Maritime Trade Operations was the first to announce the attack on the M/V Gibraltar Eagle on Monday. The agency stated that a missile struck the vessel from above while in Yemeni waters. According to BBC News, the agency advised all vessels passing through the area to proceed with extreme caution.
According to a statement from Eagle Bulk, the American operator of the ship, the vessel sustained minimal damage to one of its cargo holds and is stable after being impacted. The ship is now leaving the affected area and all crew members on board have been reported to be unharmed. The cargo being transported is steel products.
Britain joined the military attacks on the Houthis, as stated by British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak who deemed it a final option after extensive diplomatic efforts and multiple warnings from the United States and Britain to cease their attacks on ships.
Sunak stated that we will not hesitate to safeguard our security as needed.
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Source: cbsnews.com