Houthis Target American Merchant Ship In The Gulf Of Aden

The Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen claim that the group’s naval forces conducted an operation to target a US merchant vessel. The group targeted the American, Liberian-flagged merchant vessel named KOI with many appropriate naval missiles, Yahya Sarea, the Houthi military spokesperson mentioned in a statement.

Oceonix Services operates KOI. Per shipping data, the firm’s fleet includes Marlin Luanda (the oil tanker), which had been impaired by a missile on Saturday.

On Wednesday, the British maritime security central Ambrey said that a merchant vessel reported a giant explosion on the starboard after it had been targeted via a missile while it was underway 69 nm southwest of Aden in Yemen.

It added on its advisory note that Ambrey was already aware that a missile had been fired from the Dimnat Khadir District of Taiz Governorate in Yemen. Ambrey did not, however, mention if the vessel was Koi.

The Houthi militants, who control the most popular areas of Yemen, have reportedly launched waves of exploding drones as well as missiles at commercial vessels since 19 November, in what they mentioned is a response to the Israeli operations in Gaza.

The Houthi campaign disrupted international shipping, causing some firms to suspend transit via the Red Sea and instead take the much longer and costlier route via Africa.

Britain and the US have launched some strikes on the Houthi targets in Yemen and then returned the militia to terrorist groups as the turmoil from the Israel and Hamas war spreads throughout the region.

Reference: Reuters, Times Of Israel

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Source: Maritime Shipping News