A missile attack by Yemen’s Houthi rebels struck a Liberian-flagged container ship travelling through the Gulf of Aden, authorities said on Sunday, the first assault by the group since Israeli air strikes targeted them.
The Houthis offered no explanation for the two-week pause in their attacks on shipping through the Red Sea corridor, which have seen similar slowdowns since the assaults began in November over Israel’s war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
But the resumption comes after the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Iran, the Houthis’ main benefactor, amid renewed concerns over the war breaking out into a regional conflict.
The attack on Saturday happened some 225 kilometres (140 miles) southeast of Aden in a stretch of the Gulf of Aden that has seen numerous Houthi attacks previously. It hit the container ship Groton just above its waterline, causing minor damage, said the Joint Maritime Information Center, a multinational coalition overseen by the US Navy. An earlier missile attack missed the vessel, the JMIC said.
“All crew on board are safe,” the centre said. “The vessel was reported diverting to a port nearby.”
The Groton had left Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates bound for Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The Groton’s Greek managers did not respond to a request for comment.
Brigadier General Yahya Saree, a Houthi military spokesman, claimed the attack in a pre-recorded statement Sunday afternoon.
The rebels have targeted more than 70 vessels with missiles and drones in a campaign that has killed four sailors. They have seized one vessel and sunk two in the time since. Other missiles and drones have been either intercepted by a US-led coalition in the Red Sea or splashed down before reaching their targets.
