Sanaa:
Yemen's Houthis have struck again, with reports of a damaged oil tanker and a shot down US drone amid escalating tensions over Israel's offensive in Gaza, Al Jazeera reported.
In his latest televised address, Houthis military spokesman Yahya Saree claimed responsibility for attacking the “British oil ship Andromeda Star” in the Red Sea with naval missiles. The ship suffered minor damage, according to US Central Command (CENTCOM), but continues its journey unhindered.
No injuries have been reported among the maritime military coalition deployed to the area to counter such attacks.
Saree also announced the downing of an MQ-9 Reaper drone operated by the US military, stating that it was shot down while carrying out hostile missions in the airspace of Yemen's Saada Governorate. The US military has not yet commented on the incident, but CBS News confirmed the crash of an MQ-9 in Yemen, sparking an ongoing investigation, according to Al Jazeera.
This is the third US drone shot down by the Houthis since the start of the conflict in Gaza, with previous incidents taking place in November and February. Despite this, the Houthis have remained silent about further attacks on ships in nearby waters, although the US military reported that anti-ship missiles were fired at the MV MAISH, a ship flying the Antigua/Barbados flag.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) confirmed two attacks on a ship, likely the MV Andromeda Star, near al-Mukha (Mocha) in Yemen. The first explosion occurred in the vicinity of the ship, followed by a second attack with two rockets, causing damage.
The Houthi army's recent activities follow their claims that they attacked the 'Israeli ship MSC Darwin' in the Gulf of Aden and launched missiles and drones at targets in Israel's southern port city of Eilat. Previously, they had attacked the US-flagged Maersk Yorktown and the Israeli-affiliated MSC Veracruz, prompting defense responses from US and British warships.
Abdel-Malik al-Houthi, the group's leader, rejected suggestions of reduced military capabilities and claimed more attacks are imminent. Addressing protesters in Sanaa and beyond, he declared a new battleground, including targeting ships in the Indian Ocean, as reported by Al Jazeera.
The Houthis have vowed to halt their attacks on one of the world's busiest maritime routes if Israel halts its offensive in Gaza. These attacks not only disrupted global trade, but also affected traffic in the Israeli port of Eilat.
Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen have seen large-scale protests every week since the start of the conflict, expressing solidarity with the Palestinians and condemning Israel and its allies. Initially, the Houthis focused on Israeli-linked ships in the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, but have since expanded their targeting to include American and British ships following military actions by Washington and London in Yemen.
Houthi-run media reported that millions more took part in demonstrations across Yemen, highlighting the widespread support for their cause, Al Jazeera reported.
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