Recent escalation by Houthis targeting ships near Red Sea
December 11, 2023, 10:56 p.m. ET
• 4 min reading
A merchant ship traveling in the southern Red Sea was hit by a land-based cruise missile fired from Houthi-controlled Yemen, a U.S. official said.
US Central Command said in a post on X There was “damage leading to a fire” on board the merchant vessel on Monday evening, but no injuries were reported.
The incident is the latest escalation by Iran-backed Houthi fighters in Yemen, who have fired rockets and drones at ships in the region to show their support for Hamas in its war with Israel.
In mid-November, Houthi commandos seized the Bahamian-flagged Galaxy Leader while it was sailing in the Red Sea, claiming it was linked to Israel. The ship and its multinational crew remain in the port of Hodeida, Yemen, where they were taken after the seizure.
A U.S. official confirmed to ABC News on Monday that a land-based cruise missile fired from Houthi-controlled Yemen struck the merchant ship Motor Transport STRINDA while it was about 60 nautical miles north of Bab-al-Mandab. the narrow strait between Yemen and the northeast coast of Africa.
Earlier on Monday, the British Maritime Department received a report of an attack on a merchant ship traveling 15 nautical miles west of the port of Mocha in Yemen.
The attack caused some damage and a fire, but no injuries were reported, the U.S. official said.
There were no U.S. Navy ships near the area at the time of the attack, but the destroyer USS Mason is now on scene to provide assistance.
In recent weeks, the Mason and the destroyer USS Carney have been involved in several incidents in which they fired Houthi missiles or drones that targeted merchant ships or Israel.
The US is currently negotiating with other countries to form a multinational task force to protect merchant ships sailing in the region.
U.S. officials have also publicly stated that the United States reserves the right to respond to the Houthi attacks at a time and place of its choosing.