Yemen’s Houthi rebels claimed responsibility on Sunday for a missile attack on a cargo ship in the Gulf of Aden. This attack marks the first of its kind since Israel targeted the rebel-controlled Hodeida port last month. Houthi spokesman Yahya Saree, in a statement, declared that the Yemeni armed forces’ naval and missile units conducted a joint operation targeting the Liberian-flagged ship Groton with several ballistic missiles. He alleged that the vessel was targeted due to the owner’s decision to violate the ban on entering ports of ‘occupied Palestine.’
British maritime security agencies, including UKMTO and Ambrey, confirmed the attack, stating that the Groton was struck twice near the coast of Aden. The second strike resulted in minor damage. The United Kingdom Maritime trade Operations, managed by the British navy, reported that all crew members were safe with no injuries. The ship was subsequently rerouted to a nearby port.
Ambrey, also reporting two strikes, suggested that one of them might have ignited a fire on board. Despite this, no crew members were injured. This incident represents the first attack claimed by the Houthis since Israel launched strikes on Hodeida on July 20th. Those strikes were retaliatory measures for a drone strike by the Yemeni rebels that resulted in the death of one individual in Tel Aviv.
Since November, the Iran-backed Houthis have been carrying out missile and drone attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea and Arabian Sea. They claim these attacks are in support of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip amidst the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas, which began on October 7th. The Houthis have reportedly targeted at least 88 commercial ships, according to the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.
In an effort to deter these attacks, American and British forces have launched strikes on Houthi positions in Yemen since January 12th. The US military periodically conducts unilateral strikes on missiles and drones that it alleges are preparing for launch.
