Houthis claim to have attacked US commercial ship in the Red Sea

Yemen’s Houthi rebels said on Wednesday they had attacked “an American merchant ship” in the Gulf of Aden various naval missiles, After the US carried out a new bombing raid on rebel positions to destroy a projectile that was about to be launched into the Red Sea.

Houthis’ military spokesman, Yahya Sariya, He identified the attacked ship as the KOI and assured that it was headed towards an Israeli port, so the rebels launched “several appropriate naval missiles that directly attacked the ship,” as he said in a televised speech. Said.

Cargo ship KOI flying the flag of Liberia, It left from Jebel Ali port in UAE 20 days ago And according to multiple maritime tracking platforms, was on its way to transit the Suez Canal.

Sariya said the new action came “a few hours” after the Houthis’ attack Another bombardment of missiles against the American destroyer USS Gravely (DDG 107) in the Red Sea, which was intercepted by the warship without damage, according to US Central Command (CENTCOM).

Additionally, this Wednesday, the U.S. Army They destroyed a surface-to-air missile in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen According to CENTCOM, it was ready to be launched against commercial vessels in the Red Sea, on which Sariya did not comment.

Since November 19, the Iran-backed group Houthis have launched some 40 attacks on merchant ships in the Red Sea in support of the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and to economically harm Israel, and their actions have caused serious disruption to global maritime trade.

Today’s action against the KOI was also “in response to US and British aggression” against Yemen, according to Sariya, who warned that the Houthis “will not hesitate to launch a comprehensive and effective military operation in retaliation for any foolishness.” UK and USA

Similarly, he also remembered it for the Houthis Every American or British ship is a “legitimate target” Because both these countries continue bombing rebel positions in Yemen.

America and Britain bombed Houthi positions for the first time on January 12 They attacked about 60 targets in Yemen In retaliation for the rebel actions against commercial vessels and warships in the Red Sea, which have caused severe disruption to global maritime trade.