Yemen’s Iranian-backed Houthi terrorist group fired six more anti-ship missiles into the Red Sea on Tuesday, ignoring US warnings that it would face further punitive airstrikes if it did not cease attacks on international shipping. did.
Rebel leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi has vowed that attacks will continue and even increase until Israel halts its war with Hamas in Gaza.
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US officials Said Voice of America News (VOA) said one Houthi missile was intercepted by the US Navy and several others fell into the Red Sea.
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said the three missiles appeared to have targeted the Barbados-flagged, British-owned cargo ship MV. morning tide, However, none of them hit the ship.
The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported that the projectile flew over the deck of the ship. morning tide “There was some minor damage to the bridge windows,” but the ship was otherwise unharmed.
Houthis claimed They attacked two ships in the Red Sea on Tuesday, attacking both. The second ship may have been a Greek-owned ship Starnassia, A bulk carrier reported damage from an explosion.
CENTCOM confirmed the missile was targeted Starnassia, and sustained “minor damage” from at least one of them.a A U.S. Navy ship sailing near the cargo ship intercepted a Houthi missile.
A Houthi official explained: Starnassia As an “American” ship. The ship was carrying a cargo of U.S. coal to India, according to shipping trackers.
Centcom said the Houthis also attempted to launch a “kamikaze drone boat” loaded with explosives, but it was destroyed in a U.S. pre-emptive strike.
Abdul Malik Al Houthi said in a televised address on Tuesday. swore Unless the “barbaric and brutal invasion of Gaza” is stopped “along with the siege of the Palestinian people who are being denied aid and medical care,” it will “escalate.”
US Special Envoy Tim Lenderking Said At Friday’s meeting, the United States and Britain said they were seeking to “corner” the Houthis diplomatically to help “move the kinetic dimension” of the Red Sea crisis.
Lenderking said British Foreign Secretary David Cameron visited Oman with Norwegian and United Nations officials for talks on establishing a “climb down”. He said Western officials were increasingly concerned that Houthi attacks and retaliatory attacks by the United States and Britain would disrupt vital humanitarian shipments to Yemen and Gaza.
In this handout image provided by the UK Ministry of Defence, Royal Air Force (RAF) Typhoon and Voyager aircraft are shown in Akrotiri, Cyprus, after conducting airstrikes against Houthi military targets in Yemen on January 23, 2024. has returned to. (MoD Crown copyright from his Getty Images)
The US envoy rejected Houthi claims that the attack was a proportionate response to Israeli operations in Gaza, but still called for “serious de-escalation in Gaza.”
Lenderking also accused Iran of arming and financing the Houthis and actively helping them select “more lucrative targets” for attacks in the Red Sea.
sunday iran warned US does not target MV Beshad Iranian ships roaming the Red Sea may be providing information on missile attacks to the Houthis.
Iran claimed that Beshad Although Iran is tasked with “countering piracy in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden,” it has never been observed conducting such operations in the region.of Beshad is officially registered as a civilian cargo ship owned by an Iranian company.
