Latest escalation by Houthis concentrating on ships close to Red Sea
A merchant vessel crusing in the southern Red Sea was struck by a land-based cruise missile fired from Houthi-controlled Yemen, in line with a U.S. official.
U.S. Central Command said in a post on X Monday night time that there was “damage causing a fire on-board,” the merchant ship, however no casualties have been reported.
The incident is the newest escalation from Iranian-backed Houthi militants in Yemen, who’ve launched missiles and drones concentrating on ships crusing in the area in a present of help for Hamas in the struggle with Israel.
In mid-November, Houthi commandos seized the Bahamian-flagged Galaxy Leader whereas it sailed in the Red Sea, claiming it was linked to Israel. The ship and its multinational crew stay in the port of Hodeida in Yemen, the place they have been taken after the seizure.
A U.S. official confirmed to ABC News on Monday {that a} land-based cruise missile launched from Houthi-controlled Yemen had struck the merchant ship — Motor Transport STRINDA — when it was about 60 nautical miles north of the Bab-al-Mandab, the slender strait between Yemen and the northeast coast of Africa.
Earlier on Monday the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations obtained a report of an assault on a business vessel crusing 15 nautical miles west of the port of Mocha, Yemen.
The assault triggered some injury and a hearth, however no casualties have been reported in line with the U.S. official.
No U.S. Navy ships have been close to the world when the assault occurred, however the destroyer USS Mason is now on the scene to render help.
In latest weeks, the Mason and the destroyer USS Carney have been concerned in a number of incidents the place they’ve shot down Houthi missiles or drones concentrating on business ships or Israel.
The U.S. is in discussions with different nations to kind a multinational job pressure to guard business ships crusing in the area.
U.S. officers have additionally stated publicly that the United States reserves the fitting to reply to the Houthi assaults at a time and place of its selecting.
