Yemen’s Houthi group has declared that they directly targeted an American ship in the Gulf of Aden, inflicting a hit. Meanwhile, a U.S. official acknowledged the attack but denied that the vessel sustained any damage.
Brigadier Yahya Saree, the military spokesperson for Ansar Allah “the Houthis,” announced on the “X” platform that the group’s fighters had targeted the U.S. ship “Chem Ranger” with sea-launched missiles, striking it directly.
The spokesperson added that a response to what he referred to as American and British “aggressions” is “inevitable.”
Saree reiterated the continuation of maritime navigation in the Arabian Sea and the Red Sea for all destinations, except the ports of occupied Palestine.
A statement from the Yemeni Armed Forces
In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate
By the aid of Allah Almighty in standing by the oppressed Palestinian people in the sector…
On their part, a U.S. official confirmed to Al Jazeera that an American ship flying the Marshall Islands flag had been attacked in the Gulf of Aden from areas under Houthi control.
The official stated that the chemical carrier “Chem Ranger” had come under attack from two Houthi missiles which did not result in hitting the vessel; no damage or injuries were reported on board the ship, which continued its voyage through the Gulf of Aden.
Earlier on Thursday, the British Maritime Trade Operations (BMTO) reported an incident approximately 115 nautical miles southeast of Aden, Yemen, and added in a warning notice that authorities were investigating the matter.
Ambrey, a maritime security company, noted in a memo that a Marshall Islands-flagged chemical products tanker reported an “unusually close approach” by drones southeast of Aden.
In recent weeks, the Houthis in Yemen have launched attacks on ships in the Red Sea, claiming they are linked to Israel and other U.S. vessels that support Tel Aviv in its ongoing war on the Gaza Strip.
In response, the United States and the United Kingdom have carried out several rounds of airstrikes against Houthi positions in Yemen, stating that they aim to target the group’s missile capabilities to protect international maritime traffic in the region.
Moreover, Washington announced last Wednesday the re-designation of the Houthis in Yemen as a “global terrorist organization,” in the wake of the group’s recent attacks on ships in the Red Sea.
