The Houthis attacked two ships off the coast of Yemen, The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported.
Yemeni Houthis announced a ban on Israeli shipping in the Indian Ocean on Friday, targeting an “Israeli” ship and a US destroyer in the Red Sea, as well as three other US and Israeli ships in the Indian Ocean.
Yemeni armed forces spokesman General Yahya Saree said:
The naval forces targeted the Israeli ship (Pacific 01) in the Red Sea with several naval missiles.
He added that the Yemeni Armed Forces also carried out several drone strikes against a US destroyer in the Red Sea, successfully reaching their targets.
The armed forces announced the expansion of operations against Israeli ships linked to Israel or travelling to ports in occupied Palestine to include the Indian Ocean to the Cape of Good Hope. Yahya Saree added:
The expansion of the operations came in implementation of the directives of the leader, Sayyed Abdulmalik, in supporting the righteousness of Palestine and in response to the calls of our people and the free people of the nation.
The armed forces warned all ships associated with Israelis not to pass through the Cape of Good Hope or they would become a legitimate target. They confirmed that they would not cease operations in the Red Sea, the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean until Israeli aggression ceased and the blockade of Gaza was lifted.
The Yemenis have been openly claiming Palestine since Israel launched a devastating war in Gaza on 7 October after Palestinian resistance movements in the territory carried out a surprise Operation Al-Aqsa Storm. Israel has also imposed a “total siege” on the territory, depriving more than two million Palestinians living there of fuel, electricity, food and water.
The naval attacks have forced some of the world’s largest shipping and oil companies to suspend transit along one of the world’s most important maritime trade routes. Instead, tankers are travelling thousands of miles along international sea routes, skirting the African continent rather than passing through the Suez Canal.
