Houthis Launch First Attack In Two Weeks On Liberia-flagged Ship In Gulf Of Aden

Yemen’s Houthi rebels have claimed responsibility for a missile attack on the MV Groton, a Liberian-flagged container ship in the Gulf of Aden.

This marks the first Houthi attack since a retaliatory Israeli airstrike on Hodeidah’s port on July 20, 2024.

The missile hit the MV Groton approximately 125 nautical miles east of Yemen’s port of Aden.

According to the UKMTO and British security firm Ambrey, the missile caused minor damage, but no water ingress or oil spills were detected.

The ship, en route from Fujairah, UAE, to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, was diverted to a nearby port.

The Joint Maritime Information Center (JMIC) confirmed that all crew members aboard the attacked vessel were safe.

The attack is crucial as it comes after a two-week hiatus in Houthi attacks, which resumed after significant regional events.

The pause in attacks followed Israel’s strike on Hodeidah, which occurred a day after a Houthi drone attack on Tel Aviv.

The assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Iran and a Hezbollah commander in Beirut have raised concerns about growing regional conflict.

Since November, the Houthis have targeted more than 70 ships in the Red Sea, killing four sailors and sinking two.

The Houthi attacks, aimed at vessels linked to Israel, the US and the UK, have led to disruptions in global trade, with ships rerouting around Africa’s Cape of Good Hope to avoid the Red Sea and Suez Canal.

In a related incident, the Houthis claimed to have shot down an American MQ-9 Reaper drone over Saada province.

The US Defense Department is investigating the claim.

The MQ-9 drones, worth approximately $30 million each, are used for reconnaissance and surveillance.

The conflict has intensified since Hamas launched an attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, resulting in substantial losses on both sides.

The US military has deployed more forces in the region, including an aircraft carrier strike group to the Middle East and maintaining a strong naval presence to address escalating tensions.

Reference: Reuters, Aljazeera

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Source: Maritime Shipping News