On Thursday, a ship was hit by a missile in the Gulf of Aden, a suspected attack by Yemen’s Houthi Militants. The British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Center reported the incident but did not provide further details.
The private security firm Ambrey reported that the ship, which was traveling from Malaysia to Venice, Italy, made a radio distress call saying it had been struck by a missile. Ambrey noted that the ship fits the profile of previous Houthi targets, although no additional information was given.
The Houthis did not immediately claim responsibility for the attack. Typically, the Militants take several hours or even days to acknowledge such incidents. This missile strike follows another attack by the Houthis on Wednesday, where they launched a boat-borne bomb against a commercial ship in the Red Sea.
The Houthis have been controlling Yemen’s capital for nearly a decade. They have been fighting a Saudi-led coalition, targeting shipping routes in the Red Sea corridor. Their stated aim is to end the war and support Palestinians, but their attacks often affect ships unrelated to the conflict.
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Houthi Attacks on Shipping
Since November, the Houthis have carried out more than 50 attacks on shipping vessels, resulting in the deaths of three sailors, the seizure of one vessel, and the sinking of another, according to the US Maritime Administration. Responding, a US-led airstrike campaign has targeted the Houthis, with a significant series of strikes on May 30 that killed at least 16 people and wounded 42 others, as reported by the rebels.
The situation in the Gulf of Aden remains tense as the Houthis continue their attacks on shipping, contributing to the broader conflict and instability in the region.
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