Houthi’s air force targets U.S. destroyers with ballistic missiles, drones
Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi movement announced on Wednesday that it had aimed at the Contship Ono in the Red Sea and two U.S. destroyers in the Gulf of Aden, while Contships Management stated that the ship had not been hit and its crew were unharmed.
Earlier, the military spokesperson of the group Yahya Saree stated that the Houthi air force also targeted the U.S. destroyer Cole with drones and the U.S. destroyer Laboon with ballistic missiles. Saree mentioned that the Liberia-flagged container ship Contship Ono was attacked with ballistic missiles and drones.
“The vessel and its crew are safe and operations have not been affected,” Contships Management said in a statement made to Reuters.
A U.S. official has also confirmed that there is no evidence to support the Houthis’ claim that the two warships were attacked.
The Iran-aligned Houthi rebels have been carrying out multiple drone and missile strikes on ships in the Red Sea, Bab al-Mandab strait, and the Gulf of Aden since November in support of the Palestinians in the Gaza war.
These attacks have led to ships having to take longer and more costly routes around southern Africa, raising concerns that the conflict between Israel and Hamas could escalate and destabilize the Middle East.
However, the number of attacks seemed to decrease after Israel targeted military sites near Yemen’s Hodeidah port on July 20, resulting in casualties.
On August 4, the Yemeni group claimed their first attack on shipping lanes in two weeks by targeting the Liberia-flagged container vessel MV Groton in the Gulf of Aden.
Proofreading by Gift Luckson, Editor at Neptune Prime.
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