Missiles launched from Yemeni territory targeted two cargo ships in the Red Sea, according to the United States.
One vessel succumbed to a drone strike, while another fell victim to missile attacks, both originating from a region in Yemen under Houthi control—a rebel faction supported by Iran.
While the Houthis refrained from verifying the drone strike, they acknowledged launching missiles at the second boat, as well as targeting a third vessel.
The most recent assault on foreign vessels in the region occurred in the wake of the Israel-Hamas conflict. The Houthis, who assumed control nine years ago, have expressed their allegiance to Hamas and stated that their attacks are specifically aimed at ships en route to Israel.
The ships faced an assault within the Bab El Mandab, a crucial narrow waterway essential for worldwide commerce.
In relation to the reported drone incident, a US defense official informed AFP news agency on Friday, stating, “We acknowledge that an object launched from a region under Houthi control in Yemen hit this vessel, resulting in damage and reports of a fire.”
The vessel in question, named Al Jasrah, is under the ownership of the German transportation firm, Hapag-Lloyd, and is registered under the flag of Liberia in West Africa.
According to a spokesperson from Hapag-Lloyd, the ship was en route from the Greek port of Piraeus to Singapore. Fortunately, no casualties were reported, and the vessel is currently proceeding towards its intended destination without any impediments, as stated by the spokesperson.
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The second vessel fell victim to a sudden assault, as it came under attack.
While the Houthis remained silent on any impact on the Al Jasrah, they did assert responsibility for launching missiles at the MSC Palatium and MSC Alanya.
Providing an account of a missile strike on an undisclosed vessel, a US defense official reported that the impact resulted in a fire. Subsequently, a US Navy destroyer has been dispatched to address the situation.
The United States faces pressure from Israel to take action in response to these attacks. However, Washington hesitates to target Houthi missile sites due to concerns about exacerbating the Israel-Hamas conflict and potentially provoking retaliation from Iran.
Alternatively, there is a higher probability of a multinational naval coalition emerging to safeguard maritime traffic and intercept incoming missiles and drones.
Jake Sullivan, the United States national security adviser currently touring the Middle East, emphasized that the Houthi group poses a significant danger to shipping and commercial activities in the region.
He asserted that Iran held the primary accountability for the attacks, emphasizing, “Although the Houthis are the ones executing the actions, so to speak, they are essentially provided the means by Iran.
“Iran must take proactive measures to halt these assaults, as they pose a fundamental challenge to both international law and global peace and security.”
Additional incidents were documented in the region on Friday, with a separate report emerging that detailed another ship being hijacked.
The maritime trade operations agency in the UK disclosed that they had received information indicating that the crew of a ship located farther east in the Arabian Sea had lost control of their vessel, and it was currently on a course towards Somalia.
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