Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels say that they have carried out attacks on four ships in the Red Sea, Mediterranean Sea, Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean. The rebel organisation says that the attacks were carried out on ships linked to Israel, the United States and the United Kingdom. The spokesperson for the Houthis stated that they targeted the Israeli ship MSC Unific in the first attack, which was carried out in the Arabian Sea, the next attack was on a U.S. oil tanker called the Delonix (for the second time this week), this attack was carried out in the Red Sea.
The third operation targeted “U.K. landing ship Anvil Point in the Indian Ocean” and a fourth operation in the Mediterranean Sea targeted a ship that Sarea identified as the “Lucky Sailor”. Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi group has been launching drone and missile strikes in shipping lanes since November, saying they are in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.
Last month the Houthis attacked the Greek-owned MV Tutor using an Unmanned Surface Vessel (USV) or a marine drone, sinking the ship. This ushered in a new horror for mariners moving through the vital Suez Canal as the Houthis can now target vessels approaching the critical waterway.
United States forces destroyed three Iranian-backed Houthi uncrewed surface vessels in the Red Sea last week according to the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM). Separately, the Houthis launched three anti-ship ballistic missiles last week into the Gulf of Aden but there were no injuries or significant damage reported by U.S., coalition, or merchant vessels, CENTCOM added.
The American military had destroyed seven Houthi drones and one ground control station vehicle in areas controlled by the rebels in Yemen last week. CENTCOM also made clear that Houthi claims of attacking aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower were categorically false
