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20-01-2024
LONDON/ WASHINGTON/ DAVOS: Houthis have once again targeted a US ship, intensifying the ongoing maritime conflict in a worrisome escalation of tensions in the Red Sea.
The attack, claimed by the Yemeni group on Friday, follows recent retaliatory strikes by the United States against Houthi positions in response to their aggressive actions towards vessels in the region.
The Houthis, reportedly backed by Iran, asserted responsibility for a precision targeting operation against a US-owned vessel identified as the Chem Ranger in the Gulf of Aden.
According to the Yemeni group, their naval forces successfully executed the operation using multiple naval missiles, resulting in what they claim were direct hits on the commercial ship. However, the US military contradicted these assertions, stating that the Houthi missiles had missed their intended mark.
The US Central Command, responsible for the Middle East, disclosed that the Houthis launched two anti-ship ballistic missiles at the Marshall Island-flagged, Greek-operated tanker. Fortunately, the crew reported no injuries, and the ship sustained no damage as the missiles landed in the water nearby.
The latest attack adds to a series of strikes by the Houthis on shipping in the waters around Yemen since the conflict erupted in Gaza on October 7. The rebels justified their actions by citing “the oppression of the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip” and responding to what they perceive as American-British aggression against Yemen.
Despite recent US counterstrikes, Houthi attacks persist. President Joe Biden acknowledged the ongoing threat, stating, “Are they going to continue? Yes.” US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby explained that the strikes targeted anti-ship missiles prepared for imminent use in the southern Red Sea. The air raids, ongoing for the past week, have reportedly disrupted and degraded Houthi capabilities.
As the situation escalates, major shipping firms are rerouting vessels away from the region due to increased security concerns.
The US on Wednesday returned the Yemen-based Houthi rebels to a list of terrorist groups, as the militants attacked their second US-operated vessel in the Red Sea region this week and the US military carried out fresh strikes.
Attacks by the Iran-allied Houthi militia on ships in the region since November have slowed trade between Asia and Europe and alarmed major powers in an escalation of the war between Israel and Palestinian Hamas militants in Gaza.
The Houthis say they are acting in solidarity with Palestinians and have threatened to expand attacks to include US ships in response to American and British strikes on the group’s positions.
In a sign it remains undeterred, the Houthi movement on Wednesday said its missiles had made a “direct hit” on the US Genco Picardy bulk carrier. (Int’l News Desk)
