Yemeni Houthi rebels claimed on Tuesday (February 6) that they had targeted American and British ships off the coast of Yemen in two separate attacks which join the multiple others which have disrupted global maritime transport in recent weeks.
“The first (attack) targeted the American ship Star Nasia, while the other targeted the British ship Morning Tide
,” Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said in a statement.
Private maritime security company Ambrey and the British maritime security agency UKMTO also reported two attacks in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
Ambrey first reported a drone attack on the night of Monday to Tuesday against a British cargo ship flying the Barbados flag, before specifying that it was a projectile attack.
The projectile was
“launched from a small boat”
and exploded near the ship, causing minor damage, she said.
According to UKTMO, the attack took place 57 nautical miles (about 105 kilometers) west of Hodeidah, a major port on Yemen's west coast controlled by Houthi rebels and the cargo window was "
slightly"
damaged.
Ambrey later reported an explosion 50 meters from another ship, a Greek bulk carrier flying the flag of the Marshall Islands, which was southwest of Aden.
The Star Nasia was targeted at 10:30 GMT about 53 nautical miles southwest of the Gulf of Aden, the Greek Ministry of Shipping confirmed, adding that no injuries were reported among the Filipino crew on board.
The hull did not appear to have been breached, although there was some material damage, he added.
The ship was en route from the United States to India, and its owner is listed on the American stock exchange, which could explain the fact that it was associated with the United States, Ambrey estimated.
American strike
American forces carried out a new strike on the night of Monday to Tuesday against the Houthis in Yemen, targeting two marine drones loaded with explosives, according to the American Middle East Command (Centcom).
Since January, the United States has carried out several operations in Yemen and off the coast of this war-torn country, sometimes jointly with the United Kingdom, saying it wanted to protect ships from Houthi attacks, which are disrupting traffic on this essential route. for global trade.
Container shipping through the Red Sea fell by almost 30% year-on-year, according to the International Monetary Fund.
Yemeni rebels began attacking merchant shipping in November, saying they were targeting cargo ships linked to Israel, in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza facing the war between Israel and Hamas.
The American and British ships were also designated as
“legitimate targets”
after the initial strikes against Houthi positions.
The one which was carried out during the night from Monday to Tuesday targeted
“two naval surface drones loaded with explosives”
, declared Centcom on the social network X. These drones were
“identified”
in
“controlled areas of Yemen by the Houthis”
and posed
“an imminent threat to US naval vessels and merchant ships
,” he added, repeating the words typically used after each strike.
Supported by Iran, the bête noire of the United States, the Houthi rebels control a large part of the poorest country on the Arabian Peninsula, after nearly a decade of war against the Yemeni government.
If the Houthis say they attack ships linked to Israel for which the United States is the main military supporter, other pro-Iranian armed groups have increased attacks in recent weeks against American interests in the region.