Houthis announce new “direct impact” attack on US and UK ships

The rebels Houthis Yemeni Shiites attacked a cargo ship with missiles U.S and another of UK“with direct impact“, at the Red Seain retaliation for the bombings of those two countries against this pro-Iranian group to guarantee navigation on that sea route.

The Houthi military spokesman, Yehya Sareasaid this Tuesday in a statement that the two ships are the “American ship’Nasia Star‘and the British’Morning Tide‘“, what “were attacked with appropriate naval missiles”and assured that“The impacts were precise and direct”, which has not been confirmed by American or British sources.

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In his new statement, the Houthi spokesman did not lower his threatening tone regarding navigation in the Red Seawhile reiterating that the attacks “will continue in response to the oppression of the Palestinian people and the American-British aggression against our country”.

The British ship Morning Tide, hit by Yemen’s Houthis on February 6, 2024. (Photo by marinetraffic.com)

“The Yemeni military (as the Houthis define themselves) will carry out higher quality military operations against all hostile US and British targets in the Red and Arabian Seas.“, he said.

These attacks, he stated, “They are part of the legitimate right to respond to aggression and in defense of a loved one. Yemen and its people in struggle”.

Likewise, he insisted that the Houthis “will continue their military operations (…) against Israeli ships or those heading to ports in occupied Palestine until the siege is lifted and aggression against the Palestinian people in Gaza strip”.

The new statement by the Houthis, who have controlled large parts of northern and western Yemen since they took up arms in 2014 against the internationally recognized Yemeni government, comes just hours after the British navy reported an attack on a merchant ship, believed to be British. , in the Red Sea.

The entity of British Navy Commercial Maritime Operations (UKMTO) said this Tuesday on its X account that “received a report of an incident 57 nautical miles west of Hodeidah”, a port city on the banks of the Red Sea, and highlighted that the attack left minor damage, with no casualties.

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He noted that “The captain (of the ship) noticed a small boat next to him. The captain stated that a shell was fired at his ship on the port side which passed through the deck, causing minor damage to the bridge windows.”.

UK did not disclose details about the nationality of the attacked ship, although several media outlets citing the British maritime security company Ambrey They assured that it is a British company.

The escalation of tension in the Red Sea coincides with the presence in the region of the American Secretary of State, Anthony Blinkenwho visited on Monday Saudi Arabia and today is expected in Cairoas part of his fifth tour Middle East guarantee a truce and the release of hostages in the Gaza Strip, as well as trying to prevent the expansion of the conflict in the region.

Source: Elcomercio