In an article from the Associated Press, two American-flagged ships, Maersk Detroit and Maersk Chesapeake, were carrying cargo for the United States Defense and State Departments when they came under fire from the Houthi rebels.
A picture taken during an organised tour by Yemen's Huthi rebels on November 22, 2023 shows the Galaxy Leader cargo ship, seized by Huthi fighters two days earlier, at a port on the Red Sea in Yemen's province of Hodeida.
These attacks have been ongoing for quite some time and, as a result, both the United States and the United Kingdom have conducted airstrikes on Houthi bases seeking to stop the attacks. In response, the Houthi rebels announced that they would target both United States and United Kingdom ships. The Houthi rebels have repeated that their attacks are in solidarity with the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.
Meanwhile, Qatar one of the world's top distributors of liquified natural gas and mediator between Israel and Hamas, has warned that its deliveries have been impacted by these attacks. However, Qatar has not seen any of its ships come under fire instead, the ships have been forced to change their usual routes to move through the waters of South Africa's Cape of Good Hope. In a statement, QatarEnergy producer said "Production continues uninterrupted, and our commitment to ensuring the reliable supply of LNG to our customers remains unwavering." The statement went on to disclose, "While the ongoing developments in the Red Sea area may impact the scheduling of some deliveries as they take alternative routes, LNG shipments from Qatar are being managed with our valued buyers".
In a statement regarding the attack on the flagged cargo ships, Danish dispatcher Maersk said, "While en route, both ships reported seeing explosions close by and the U.S. Navy accompaniment also intercepted multiple projectiles, the crew, ship, and cargo are safe and unharmed. The U.S. Navy has turned both ships around and is escorting them back to the Gulf of Aden."
In an online statement, the United States military command said the Houthi Rebels used anti-ship ballistic missiles. "One missile impacted in the sea," the statement revealed. "The two other missiles were successfully engaged and shot down by the USS Gravely," an Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer.
During the earlier stages of these attacks, many countries called for UN interference and the United States imposed sanctions on those providing aid to the rebel group. But it seems that the conflict within Gaza has found its way into the Red Sea despite those sanctions and calls for interference.
