Houthis & Iraqi Militia Launch Drone Strikes On 4 Ships At Israel’s Haifa Port

Yemen’s Houthi rebels have conducted a joint military operation with the Iranian-backed Iraqi militia, Islamic Resistance in Iraq, to target four ships at Israel’s Haifa Port.

The attack occurred on June 22, 2024 (Saturday), involving drone strikes on two cement tankers and two cargo vessels.

In a televised speech, Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree revealed that the vessels were targeted due to their violation of the ban on entering the ports of occupied Palestine.

Saree claimed that the strikes were precise and direct and that they accomplished their objectives.

Saree further stated that the Houthis had previously attacked the Shorthorn Express in the Mediterranean Sea as part of their strategy to disrupt shipping operations in support of the Palestinians during the Gaza conflict.

The Israeli military officials did not immediately confirm the attack.

However, Israel’s Channel 12 reported an explosion in Haifa on June 23, 2024 (Sunday), after an air defense missile was launched into the sea.

No sirens were activated throughout the incident.

Later, Israel’s military posted on X (Twitter) that it had shot down an approaching drone from the east overnight.

In the meantime, UKMTO (the British Maritime Security Agency) reported a drone strike on a merchant ship in the Red Sea, around 65 nautical miles west of Yemen’s Hodeidah port.

The ship was damaged, but no injuries were reported, and the ship continued on its journey to the next port of call.

The United States Central Command (US Centcom) announced that it had destroyed three Houthi naval drones in the Red Sea in response to these threats.

The drones were identified as a significant threat to the US, coalitions and merchant vessels.

US Centcom reported that the Houthis launched three anti-ship ballistic missiles into the Gulf of Aden, though no severe damage or injuries occurred.

The recent escalation of attacks demonstrates the continuous threat posed by the Houthis to regional security and the safety of maritime operations in the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea.

This follows a series of recent incidents, including a suspected unmanned aerial system attack on the M/V TRANS WORLD NAVIGATOR, a Liberian-flagged bulk cargo carrier, resulting in slight damage and minor injuries.

The MV TRANS WORLD NAVIGATOR was en route from Malaysia to Egypt and had been attacked multiple times by the Houthis previously.

The persistent Houthi attacks highlight the region’s highly complex and unstable security conditions, with significant consequences for international shipping and regional politics.

Reference: US Centcom, Reuters

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Source: Maritime Shipping News