Houthis strike Liberian-flagged vessel in Gulf of Aden
Houthi spokesman Yahya Sare'e announced the Saturday attack in a statement the following day, stating the merchant vessel named Groton was targeted with a number of ballistic missiles for violating its maritime blockade in the region.
According to Marine Traffic, the container ship had departed the United Arab Emirates on Wednesday and was attacked en route to Africa's Djibouti.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Organization located the attack about 125 nautical miles east of Aden, Yemen.
It said in a statement that the Groton reported it was hit by a missile, resulting in no fires, water ingress or oil leaks.
"Vessel is proceeding to next port of call," it said.
Though unclear why it was the Iran-backed militia's first attack in two weeks, it continues the Houthis' enforcement of a militarily blockade of the Red Sea region, claiming it is in solidarity with the Palestinian people in Gaza where Israel has been waging war against Hamas for more than 300 days.
The Houthis have been attacking vessels, including U.S. and British warships, in the Red Sea since mid-November when it seized the Galaxy Leader and its crew.
A tally from the U.S. Congressional Research Service published July 12 shows that there have been some 140 attacks from Yemen threatening commercial and Naval Ships.
The Saturday attack comes as the world waits on a potential response from Iran after Israel recently assassinated leaders of Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Tehran. Both Hezbollah and Hamas are Iran proxy militias.
Iran and Israel have been in a proxy war for years that exploded into the open Oct. 7 when Hamas launched a surprise and deadly attack on Israel.
Embolden by the conflict, both Hezbollah and the Houthis have attack Israel, sparking fears of a widening conflict that have only been enflamed over Israel's recent assassinations of the militia leaders.
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