A suspected attack by Yemen’s Houthi rebels targeted a ship in the southern part of the Red Sea on Tuesday, officials revealed. The incident is the latest in a series of attacks coinciding with the Israel-Hamas conflict. Iran, the main supporter of Yemen, is contemplating a potential retaliatory strike against Israel following the assassination of Hamas official Ismail Haniyeh in July, heightening concerns of a broader regional conflict in the Middle East. The attacks by the Houthis have disrupted the significant flow of goods totaling $1 trillion annually through the vital maritime route crucial for trade between Asia, Europe, and the Middle East, leading to escalated conflicts that the U.S. Navy has not witnessed since World War II.
The attack occurred approximately 115 kilometers (70 miles) south of the Houthi-controlled port city of Hodeida, as reported by the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center. A detonation near the ship took place during the attack but reassuringly, the vessel and crew were noted to be safe. The private security company Ambrey also confirmed the attack, mentioning that the ship experienced two close-proximity explosions.
Although the Houthis have not immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, their acknowledgment of assaults can be delayed by hours or days. The rebels have targeted over 70 vessels using missiles and drones since the conflict began in Gaza in October, resulting in the deaths of four sailors. They have seized one vessel and sunk two others. The rebels justify their attacks as aimed at ships associated with Israel, the U.S., or the U.K., as part of their efforts to compel an end to the conflict, despite many targeted ships having little to no connection to the dispute, including those headed for Iran.
Israel retaliated to Houthi attacks with airstrikes on the Houthi-held city of Hodeida, inflicting damage on fuel depots and electrical stations. In response, the Houthis halted their assaults until August 3, when they targeted a Liberian-flagged container ship in the Gulf of Aden. Subsequently, a Liberian-flagged oil tanker faced a series of intense attacks commencing on August 8, likely carried out by the rebels.
In response to Iran’s threats to retaliate over Haniyeh’s assassination, the U.S. military has directed the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group to hasten its journey to the region. Additionally, the USS Georgia guided missile submarine has been deployed to the Middle East, while the USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier strike group is stationed in the Gulf of Oman. Further reinforcement has seen additional F-22 fighter jets dispatched to the region, and the USS Wasp, a substantial amphibious assault ship transporting F-35 fighter jets, is positioned in the Mediterranean Sea.
Houthi rebels from Yemen suspected of targeting a ship in the southern Red Sea, officials report
