Status: 16.01.2024, 12:18 p.m.
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Container ship (symbolic image). © Stanislav Belicka/Imago
The U.S. is facing major challenges from the ongoing attacks by Houthi rebels in the Red Sea. The focus is also on Iran.
Washington D.C. – A ballistic missile fired by Houthi militants hit a U.S. container ship off the coast of Yemen on Monday (Jan. 15). This was announced by the U.S. Central Command in a statement. There were no casualties and no "significant damage" to the vessel, which continued its journey, the statement continued.
The attack on the ship, the M/V Gibraltar Eagle, came two hours after another ballistic missile was launched towards the southern Red Sea, which missed its target.
Houthi rebels attack US ship – world trade under pressure
The twin attacks showed the intent and apparent ability of the Houthis to continue their attacks on merchant shipping after the United States and Britain began carrying out airstrikes against the group to prevent the attacks at sea. With the help of missiles and drones, Yemeni militants have carried out more than two dozen attacks in the Red Sea since the beginning of November.
The Red Sea, which is connected to the Mediterranean Sea by the Suez Canal, is one of the most important shipping routes in the world. According to the U.S. Naval Institute, about 12 percent of all world trade passes through the Red Sea and the Suez Canal.
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Since the fall of the central government in 2014, the Houthis have controlled a large part of Yemen. The group has stated that its attacks in the Red Sea are aimed at ending Israel's siege and offensive in the Gaza Strip.
Houthi rebels plan to continue attacks until "aggression" in Gaza stops
A Houthi military spokesman, Yayha Saree, confirmed in a statement late Monday that the group had fired missiles at an "American ship in the Gulf of Aden."
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"We consider all American and British ships and warships participating in the aggression against our country to be hostile targets," he said. The Houthis would continue their attacks at sea "until the aggression stops and the siege of the Gaza Strip is lifted," he said, adding that further attacks by the United States and Britain on Yemen "will not go unanswered and punished."
Eagle Bulk Shipping, the operator of the M/V Gibraltar Eagle, confirmed in a statement that the vessel was hit by an unidentified projectile while traveling about 100 miles (about 161 km) off the coast in the Gulf of Aden.
There was "limited damage" to a cargo hold, but no casualties, the company said. The ship was carrying steel products, the statement said.
Houthi rebels attack ships in the Red Sea – US government faces challenges
Monday's attacks highlighted the challenge facing the Biden administration and its international partners. They had recently promised to hold the Houthis, as well as Iran, the group's main supporter, responsible for the sharp rise in attacks on merchant shipping in the Red Sea.
Experts on the Houthis say they are unlikely to be deterred. The group survived after fighting several wars against Yemen's central government in the early 2000s, surviving years of airstrikes by a Saudi-led coalition during Yemen's ongoing civil conflict — and coming out stronger than before.
The Houthi attacks and the joint U.S.-U.K. response have heightened fears that Israel's war in the Gaza Strip could spread beyond the besieged Palestinian enclave and draw the region into violence.
Houthi attacks in the Red Sea – US officials accuse Iran of supporting
Senior U.S. officials openly accuse Tehran of "aiding and abetting" the crisis, saying that without Iran's technological and intelligence support, the Houthis would not be able to threaten the shipping lane. On Thursday, U.S. and British forces attacked numerous facilities in Yemen that officials said were used by the Houthis for their attacks.
According to the Pentagon, the operation was directed against radar stations, missile launchers and weapons depots. A senior U.S. general later stated that the group was likely to remain a threat.
About the authors
Alex Horton is a national security reporter at The Washington Post with a focus on the U.S. military. He served in Iraq as an infantryman in the army.
Kareem Fahim is head of the Istanbul bureau and Middle East correspondent for The Washington Post. Prior to that, he worked for the New York Times for 11 years, covering the Arab world as a correspondent from Cairo. Kareem also worked as a reporter for the Village Voice.
We are currently testing machine translations. This article has been automatically translated from English into German.
This article was first published in English by the "Washingtonpost.com" on January 15, 2024 - as part of a cooperation, it is now also available in translation to the readers of IPPEN. MEDIA portals.