The Houthis have declared as legitimate targets all US and British ships that are involved in “aggression against Yemen”, representatives of the Houthi military movement said.
They confirmed that the Yemeni Navy had carried out an attack on the US container ship Gibraltar Eagle and would continue operations to prevent Israeli ships from entering the Red and Arabian Seas.
Houthi attacks on ships in the area since November have affected companies and alarmed major powers, escalating Israel’s more than three-month war with Hamas militants in Gaza. The group says it is acting in solidarity with the Palestinians.
British and American ships have become “legitimate targets” because of the two countries’ strikes on Yemen last week, Houthi spokesman Nasrudin Amer told Al Jazeera. He said:
“The ship doesn’t necessarily have to be heading to Israel for us to target it. It is enough for it to be American. The United States is on the verge of losing its maritime security.”
The Houthis had previously said they would only attack Israeli ships or ships travelling to Israel. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree, in a statement broadcast on the rebel-run al-Masirah TV, affirmed the group’s commitment to counter “any potential aggression on Yemen.” He noted:
“The Yemeni Navy carried out an operation against a US ship in the Gulf of Aden. Several anti-ship missiles were used in the operation, which hit the target accurately. We regard all US and British ships and units that are involved in military aggression against our country as enemy targets in the target list of our armed forces. We will continue to conduct military operations in order to enforce the decision to ban Israeli ships from crossing the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea.”
In the latest apparent attack, US Central Command said Houthi forces in Yemen struck the US-owned and operated Gibraltar Eagle bulk carrier on Monday with an anti-ship ballistic missile, although there were no reports of injuries or significant damage.
The US-based operator of the Eagle Bulk Shipping said the vessel was struck by an “unidentified projectile” while sailing 100 miles (160 kilometres) off the Gulf of Aden. The hit caused a fire in the hold of the ship, which was carrying steel products, but no one was injured and the vessel is continuing its journey, it said.
Earlier in the day, British maritime safety company Ambrey said a US Marshall Islands-flagged bulk carrier was reportedly struck by a missile while in transit near the Yemeni port of Aden. According to Ambrey, the vessel was not linked to Israel and the attack was aimed at US interests in response to recent strikes on Houthi military positions.
