Yemen’s Houthi rebels launch new attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea

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Yemen’s Houthi rebels launch new attacks against commercial ships in the Red Sea

Yemen’s Shiite Houthi rebels carried out an attack on a ship in the Red Sea on Tuesday in which no damage was reported, while the United States, which leads the naval coalition in that sea lane, responded against the insurgents.

The military spokesman for the Houthis, Yahya Sarea, noted that their naval units launched “several naval missiles” against a ship, identified as “Pinocchio”, in the Red Sea and the impact was “certain”.

Sarea noted in the statement published on its official X account that the ship was American; However, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) later stated that the ship is Singapore-owned and Liberian-flagged.

The central command also said that the two ballistic missiles that were launched from areas controlled by the Iran-backed Houthis “did not hit the ship and no injuries or damage were reported.”

Likewise, he indicated that they have carried out six “self-defense” attacks in which an unmanned underwater vessel has been destroyed, as well as 18 anti-ship missile launchers from areas controlled by the insurgents.

“These weapons were determined to pose an imminent threat to U.S. Navy and merchant vessels in the region. These actions are carried out to protect freedom of navigation and make international waters safer,” the note states.

Last week there was one of the worst moments when three sailors died in a Houthi attack against a Barbadian flag ship in the Gulf of Aden, the gateway to the Red Sea, in the first action by the rebels that caused civilian losses. since they began their attacks against commercial shipping on November 19.

Likewise, on March 2, the British ship “Rubymar” became the first vessel to sink in an attack by the Houthis.

In addition to commercial ships, the rebels have also intensified their operations against American and British warships stationed in the Red Sea to “protect” shipping in this strategic waterway, through which it is estimated that around 15% of global maritime trade passes.

In full escalation of tensions with the West, the navies of Russia, China and Iran will participate from this Tuesday in joint naval maneuvers in the waters of the Gulf of Oman, shaken by the attacks against ships carried out by the Houthis from Yemen in response to the offensive military launched by Israel against Hamas terrorists in the Gaza Strip.

The Russian Ministry of Defense noted that several Russian ships have arrived at the Iranian port of Chabahar this Monday for their participation in the maneuvers, called “Maritime Security Belt 2024.”

The naval group is led by the missile cruiser ‘Variag’, flagship of the Pacific Fleet, accompanied by the anti-submarine frigate ‘Marshal Shaposhnikov’.

“These practical maneuvers will take place in the waters of the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea,” the Russian authorities noted, before adding that “the main objective of the maneuvers is to check the safety of economic activities at sea.”

Thus, they detailed that “representatives” of Oman, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Pakistan and South Africa will also participate in the maneuvers, who will do so as “observers,” according to the Russian news agency Interfax.

(With information from EFE)