YEMEN's Houthi rebels fired several missiles and drones against two US Navy destroyers and three US supply ships transiting the Gulf of Aden last Sunday
YEMEN's Houthi rebels fired several missiles and drones against two US Navy destroyers and three US supply ships transiting the Gulf of Aden last Sunday. The attack shows that the group sees no reason to halt its year-long campaign against Western shipping in the Red Sea, even after a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon, reports Oslo's TradeWinds.
The action also provides further proof that the rebels' potential to carry out attacks against shipping in the area remains undiminished, despite repeated US claims to be degrading it with airstrikes.
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree named the three supply ships as the 2,500-TEU box ship Maersk Saratoga, 49,700-dwt MR2 tanker Stena Impeccable and 50,600-dwt supramax bulker Liberty Grace (built 2001).
'The Yemeni Armed Forces will continue to carry out their military operations at an escalating pace in the declared maritime operations zone against the Israeli and American enemy and it will not stop except by stopping the aggression and lifting the siege on the Gaza Strip,' Mr Saree said.
In a statement, the US military confirmed a multiple Houthi strike against three unnamed 'US-owned, operated, flagged merchant vessels', adding that none of them suffered any damage.
According to US Central Command, destroyers USS Stockdale and USS O'Kane 'successfully engaged and defeated' three anti-ship ballistic missiles, three air drones and one anti-ship cruise missile.
Mr Saree, by contrast, had said late on Sunday that the Houthis fired 16 'ballistic and winged missiles and a drone' in 'accurate and direct' strikes.
It is not immediately clear if the US convoy actually managed to complete the voyage or aborted it on account of the attack.
SeaNews Turkey
