Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea claimed the group launched several missile and drone strikes against two US Navy warships in the Red Sea on Tuesday night.
We carried out a qualitative military operation, targeting two American warships in the Red Sea. The operation was carried out with a number of naval missiles and drones.
Sarea added that the Houthis would not hesitate to “expand attacks against all hostile targets to support the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip,” as well as in response to “the US-British aggression against our country [Yemen].”
“Our attacks will not stop until the Israeli offensive in Gaza stops and the siege imposed on the Palestinian people is lifted.”
According to local media, shortly before the Houthi declaration, the US-British military coalition conducted five aerial attacks on the Yemeni port city of Hodeidah. Two airstrikes hit the area of Ras Issa in the al-Salif district northwest of the city, while three others targeted the area of al-Jabbanah in the western part of the city.
Sarea stated on Monday that the Houthis fired several anti-ship ballistic missiles at “US Navy ships in the Red Sea and an Israeli commercial vessel, M/V MSC Sky II, in the Gulf of Aden.”
US Central Command responded that the Houthi missiles hit the water but did not damage US Navy ships in the southern Red Sea. The command also confirmed that one of the Houthi missiles hit the Liberian-flagged, Swiss-owned container ship MSC Sky II.
The Houthis have been attacking maritime vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden since November last year, particularly targeting those believed to be linked to Israel. The group has vowed to expand its attacks on commercial ships passing through the waters until Israel ceases its offensive in Gaza.
