Yemen’s Houthi rebels have stated that they along with the terror organization Islamic Resistance in Iraq have conducted a joint military strike on a vital target in Israel’s Haifa, on Israel’s Northern Mediterranean coast. Adani Group manages the Haifa Port. A Houthi spokesperson said that the attack was carried out using a number of ‘winged missiles’. The target of the missile attack has not been identified by the Houthis. The Houthi group has been launching drone and missile strikes in shipping lanes since November, in what it says is in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.
The Iran-aligned Houthis first launched drone and missile strikes in shipping lanes in November. In dozens of attacks, they have sunk two vessels, seized another and killed at least three seafarers. Late last month the Houthis also said that they targeted a ship in Israel’s Haifa port with a number of drones in a joint military operation with the Islamic Resistance in Iraq. That operation targeted the Portuguese-flagged container ship MSC Manzanillo. The Israeli military had then stated that it was not aware of any such incident, a spokesperson said, and there was no indication of anything unusual at Haifa port.
The Iran-aligned Houthis first launched drone and missile strikes in shipping lanes in November. In dozens of attacks, they have sunk two vessels, seized another and killed at least three seafarers. Last month the Yemeni rebel group had launched an attack on a commercial ship, MV Tutor, using an Unmanned Surface Vessel (USV), sinking the ship.
These attacks on merchant ships in the Red Sea by Iran-backed Houthi rebels have disrupted the vital east-west shipping route that goes via the Suez Canal. Many shipping companies are rerouting their ships. Most of these ships are now going south around Africa. This rerouting is pushing freight rates and is also causing congestion in ports in both Asia and Europe.
(With inputs from Reuters)
