An attack on a commercial ship in the Gulf of Aden is being called a suspected attack by the Houthi rebels of Yemen that caused fatalities and prompted the crew to abandon ship on Wednesday.
Members of the Yemeni Coast Guard affiliated with the Houthi group patrol the sea as demonstrators march through the Red Sea port city of Hodeida in solidarity with the people of Gaza on January 4, 2024, amid the ongoing battles between Israel and the militant Hamas group in Gaza.
The Associated Press reported that the attack occurred on the True Confidence, a bulk carried flagged under Barbados but owned by a Liberian company.
This is a further escalation of attacks on maritime targets in the Red Sea and surrounding waterways. The Houthis, allegedly backed by Iran, have been attacking ships since November and vowed to continue doing so until hostilities toward Palestinians by the IDF cease.
A US-led airstrike campaign that began in January appears to have been ineffective at deterring further hostilities from the Houthis.
The attack on Wednesday came after the ship was hailed over the radio by individuals claiming to be part of the Yemeni military, according to officials.
The Houthis have been hailing ships over the radio in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden since launching their attacks, with analysts suspecting the rebels want to seize the vessels.
While the extent of the damage to the ship is unclear, the fact that the ship had to be abandoned by its crew, and the reported fatalities, clearly signal the occurrence was very serious.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations on Wednesday night acknowledged the ship had been abandoned by its crew and was no longer under command. The Houthis did not immediately claim responsibility for the attack.
The Houthis Remain Steadfast
The Houthis have been attacking shipping without impunity despite the efforts of the international community and the combined resources of the United States and the United Kingdom.
A separate Houthi attack targeted the USS Carney, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer that had been involved in the campaign against the rebels.
The Carney shot down two drones and an anti-ship ballistic missile, according to the US Central Command. Meanwhile, a separate Houthi assault Tuesday apparently targeted the USS Carney, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer that has been involved in the American campaign against the rebels.
The Carney shot down bomb-carrying drones and one anti-ship ballistic missile, the U.S. military's Central Command said.
The U.S. later launched an airstrike destroying three anti-ship missiles and three bomb-carrying drone boats, the Central Command said.
