Feb. 6 (UPI) — Houthi rebels fired on British and U.S. cargo ships sailing in the Red Sea off the coast of Yemen on Tuesday, causing minor damage to one but without injuring any crew members.
U.S. Central Command confirmed the attacks in a statement, saying the Iran proxy militia fired six anti-ship ballistic missiles from areas of Yemen under its control between 3:20 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. local time Tuesday.
Three of the missiles were targeting the M/V Star Nasia, a Marshall Islands-flagged, Greek-owned bulk carrier that was transiting the Gulf of Aden.
The ship’s crew reported an explosion that caused minor damage to the vessel at 3:20 a.m., CENTCOM said.
According to an attack alert from the Royal Navy’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, the ship’s master noticed a small craft alongside seconds before a “projectile” was fired at the Port side of the vessel which passed over the deck “slightly damaging” the windows of the bridge.
A second missile then impacted the water near the ship at 2 p.m. followed by the third volley at 4:30 p.m., which the USS Laboon intercepted, CENTCOM said.
“The vessel and crew are all safe. Vessel proceeding on planned passage,” read the UKMTO alert, which urged vessels in the area to transit with caution and report any suspicious activity.
Three additional anti-ship ballistic missiles were fired by Houthis during that time frame at M/V Morning Tide, a Barbados-flagged and British-owned cargo ship operating in the southern Red Sea.
“The tree missiles impacted the water near the ship without effect,” CENTCOM said. “M/V Morning Tide is continuing its journey and is reporting no injuries of damage.”
Houthi spokesman Brig. Yahya Saree confirmed the attacks in a statement but said its missiles hit both targets “directly and accurately.”
The attacks came hours after the United States conducted defensive strikes in response to the targeting of ships against Houthi explosive sea drones in Yemen and two days after a series of U.S.-British airstrikes against Houthi-controlled military targets in the country.
The first wave on Saturday, hitting 36 Houthi targets across 13 locations, was followed Sunday by an attack to take out anti-ship cruise missiles.
Unlike the weekend strikes, which were conducted in tandem with Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Denmark and other allies, Monday’s strikes were carried out by the United States alone.
The United States has been launching attacks into Yemen since Jan. 11 to try to deter the Iran-backed group from attacking commercial vessels in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. The Houthis say they are acting out of solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza.
The U.N. Security Council held an emergency meeting Monday on U.S. strikes in Iraq and Syria, after U.N. Political Affairs chief Rosemary DiCarlo warned the ramping up of attacks against Iran proxies — 85 on Friday alone — risked a miscalculation, despite U.S. claims it was not seeking a conflict in the region.
“I reiterate the secretary-general’s call on all parties to step back from the brink and to consider the unbearable human and economic cost of a potential regional conflict,” she said.