Ship comes under attack off coast of Yemen as Houthi rebel campaign appears to gain new speed

A ship traveling in the Gulf of Aden came under attack Thursday, officials said, the latest assault carried out by Yemen’s Houthi rebels over Israel’s ongoing war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The attack comes after the U.S. military said early Thursday an allied warship shot down a Houthi missile targeting a vessel the day before near the same area. The Houthis claimed that Wednesday assault, which comes after a period of relatively few rebel attacks on shipping in the region over Israel’s ongoing war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

Quick Read

• Houthi Rebel Attacks: Yemen’s Houthi rebels carried out an attack on a ship traveling in the Gulf of Aden, with the latest assault linked to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
• U.S. Military Involvement: The U.S. military reported that an allied warship shot down a Houthi missile targeting a vessel near the same area a day before the most recent attack.
• Details of the Latest Attack: The targeted ship was located over 25 kilometers southwest of Aden. The captain reported hearing a loud bang and seeing smoke and splash from the sea. Thankfully, the vessel and all crew are safe.
• Additional Defensive Actions: European Union forces shot down a Houthi-launched drone on the same day, and the British warship HMS Diamond shot down a missile targeting merchant ships, marking the Royal Navy’s first missile interception since 1991.
• Pattern of Houthi Attacks: The Houthis have intensified their maritime attacks since November, targeting shipping with more than 50 attacks, seizing one vessel, and sinking another.
• Impact of U.S.-led Campaign: A U.S.-led airstrike campaign in Yemen has reduced Houthi attacks recently, partly due to a speculated depletion of their weapons.
• Claims by Houthi Spokesperson: Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree claimed responsibility for the attacks and also claimed, without evidence, to have hit additional targets including the U.S.-flagged MV Yorktown.
• Background of the Conflict: The Houthi attacks are stated to be in response to Israel’s ongoing military actions in Gaza, which began following a Hamas-led attack on Israel.

The Associated Press has the story:

Ship comes under attack off coast of Yemen as Houthi rebel campaign appears to gain new speed

Newslooks- JERUSALEM (AP) —

A ship traveling in the Gulf of Aden came under attack Thursday, officials said, the latest assault carried out by Yemen’s Houthi rebels over Israel’s ongoing war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

The attack comes after the U.S. military said early Thursday an allied warship shot down a Houthi missile targeting a vessel the day before near the same area. The Houthis claimed that Wednesday assault, which comes after a period of relatively few rebel attacks on shipping in the region over Israel’s ongoing war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

In Thursday’s attack, a ship was targeted just over 25 kilometers (15 miles) southwest of Aden, the British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said.

The captain “reports a loud bang heard and a splash and smoke seen coming from the sea,” the UKMTO said. “Vessel and all crew are safe.”

The attack was also reported by the private security firm Ambrey.

Houthi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree claimed the attack late Thursday, identifying the ship the rebels tried to target as the MSC Darwin.

European Union forces separately shot down a drone launched from Houthi territory on Thursday, Gen. Robert Brieger said. Separately on Wednesday, the British warship HMS Diamond began the first in the Royal Navy to shoot down a missile since 1991 when it destroyed a Houthi missile targeting merchant ships.

The Houthis have launched more than 50 attacks on shipping, seized one vessel and sank another since November, according to the U.S. Maritime Administration.

Houthi attacks have dropped in recent weeks as the rebels have been targeted by a U.S.-led airstrike campaign in Yemen and shipping through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden has declined because of the threat. American officials have speculated that the rebels may be running out of weapons as a result of the U.S.-led campaign against them and firing off drones and missiles steadily in the last months.

However, Wednesday’s attack was the first one by rebels in some time. An explosion struck some 130 kilometers (80 miles) southeast of Djibouti in the Gulf of Aden, the UKMTO said.

Early Thursday, the U.S. military’s Central Command said the explosion came from a coalition warship shooting down the missile likely targeting the MV Yorktown, a U.S.-flagged, owned and operated vessel with 18 U.S. and four Greek crew members.

“There were no injuries or damage reported by U.S., coalition or commercial ships,” Central Command said.

Saree claimed that attack but insisted without evidence that the missile hit the Yorktown. Saree also claimed the Houthis targeted another ship in the Indian Ocean, without providing proof. The Houthis have made repeated claims that turned out to not be true during their yearslong war in Yemen.

The Houthis have said they will continue their attacks until Israel ends its war in Gaza, which has killed more than 34,000 Palestinians there. The war began after Hamas-led militants attacked Israel on Oct. 7, killing 1,200 people and taking some 250 others hostage.

Most of the ships targeted by the Houthis have had little or no direct connection to Israel, the U.S. or other nations involved in the war. The rebels have also fired missiles toward Israel, though they have largely fallen short or been intercepted.

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