The Houthis, a militant group aligned with Iran, have targeted the MSC Orion container ship in a drone attack in the Indian Ocean. The attack is part of their ongoing campaign against international shipping in solidarity with Palestinians against Israel’s military actions in Gaza.
The MSC Orion, which is flagged in Portugal, was sailing between the ports of Sines, Portugal, and Salalah, Oman. The ship’s registered owner is Zodiac Maritime, a company partly owned by Israeli businessman Eyal Ofer.
The Houthis have launched repeated drone and missile strikes in the Red Sea, Bab al-Mandab Strait, and the Gulf of Aden since November. These attacks have forced shippers to re-route cargo to longer and more expensive journeys around Southern Africa. There are concerns that the Israel-Hamas war could spread and destabilize the Middle East.
In March, the Houthis announced that they were expanding their attack area to prevent Israel-linked ships from passing through the Indian Ocean toward the Cape of Good Hope. The group has also targeted the Cyclades commercial vessel and two U.S. destroyers in the Red Sea.
The United States and Britain have carried out strikes against Houthi targets in retaliation for their attacks on vessels.
