Tag: Houthi attacks

The group launched three unmanned aerial vehicles from Yemen toward the Gulf of Aden on Monday….reports Asian Lite News

The US Central Command said the Houthi militia in Yemen launched three drones and one anti-ship ballistic missile at international commercial and naval ships in the Gulf of Aden on Monday and Tuesday.

The group launched three unmanned aerial vehicles from Yemen toward the Gulf of Aden on Monday. One of the drones was destroyed by US-led marine coalition ships, Central Command forces destroyed another, and the third went down in the sea, causing no damage, the US military said.

Early on Tuesday, the Houthis launched an anti-ship ballistic missile over the Gulf of Aden, but did not target navy or commercial ships in key maritime lanes near Yemen.

“It was determined that these weapons presented an imminent threat to both coalition forces and merchant vessels in the region,” the US Central Command said.

UK Maritime Trade Operations, which monitors attacks on vessels, received a report from a ship’s master on Tuesday of two explosions close to the vessel off the coast of Yemen, near the southern city of Aden.

Yahya Sarea, a Houthi military spokesman who regularly confirms assaults on ships, has not claimed responsibility on behalf of the militia for any strikes since Friday.

In the past six months, the Houthis have sunk one ship, seized another and launched hundreds of ballistic missiles, drones and remotely controlled boats targeting international commercial and navy ships in waters off the coast of Yemen and in the Indian Ocean. The Houthis say their aim is to put pressure on Israel to end its war against Hamas in Gaza.

The US responded in January to the Houthi attacks by placing the group back onto its list of foreign terrorist organizations, from which it had been removed in February 2021, organizing a coalition of naval task forces to safeguard the Red Sea, and launching strikes against Houthi sites in Yemen.

Mahdi Al-Mashat, head of the Houthi Supreme Political Council, said during a live-fire drill in Sanaa on Tuesday that the US had offered incentives to the group in return for halting their attacks on shipping. However, he vowed attacks on ships linked to Israel would continues, along with efforts to seize control of the parts of Yemen that remain under government control.

“We will continue … until our country’s whole national territory is liberated, and the blockade and injustice placed on our people in Gaza are removed,” he said.

Meanwhile, local and international journalism organizations urged the Houthis to investigate the attempted assassination of a Yemeni journalist in Sanaa on Tuesday.

The Yemeni Journalist Syndicate said that Mohammed Shubaita, secretary-general of the organization and assistant secretary-general of the Federation of Arab Journalists, was shot in the leg and stomach and is being treated at a hospital in Sanaa. A relative who was with him was killed in the attack and another was wounded.

“The Journalists Syndicate strongly condemns this sinful attack and holds the de facto authority in Sanaa fully responsible for the safety of our colleague Mohammed Shubaita,” the organization said.

The International Federation of Journalists similarly denounced the assault and urged the Houthis to investigate the incident.

Anthony Bellanger, the federation’s general secretary, said: “The authorities must immediately open an investigation to clarify the circumstances of the heinous attack against our colleague Mohammed Shubaita and his relatives.

“Yemen is a hostile country for journalists where their safety is jeopardized, and the investigation must take into account Shubaita’s role as a journalist and union leader.”

In a message posted on social media platform X, Reporters Without Borders condemned the attack and called for a “full investigation into this heinous crime.”

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Since November, the Houthis have launched numerous ballistic missiles and drones at ships in strategic waterways…reports Asian Lite News

The Houthis have issued a renewed threat of strikes against ships bound for or linked to Israel, extending their warning to vessels traversing the Mediterranean. Amidst claims of victory against the US Navy in the Red Sea, the Houthi-controlled SABA news agency declared the commencement of the fourth phase of their pro-Palestine campaign, signalling an expansion of their targeting scope.

In this phase, the militia vows to target all ships en route to Israel within the reach of their drones and missiles, asserting their military prowess against formidable naval forces, including those of the US, UK, and other Western powers. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea announced plans to escalate attacks to include companies interacting with Israel, particularly in response to perceived threats against the Palestinian Rafah, according to Arab News report.

Since November, the Houthis have launched numerous ballistic missiles and drones at ships in strategic waterways such as the Red Sea, Bab Al-Mandab Strait, and the Gulf of Aden. They justify these actions as necessary to compel Israel to lift its blockade on Gaza, focusing on vessels with ties to Israel while also targeting US and UK ships following airstrikes on Houthi-controlled areas.

Houthi claims of US Navy withdrawal from the Red Sea due to their attacks were reiterated by information minister Dhaif Allah Al-Shami, who promised forthcoming offensives against Israeli ships in the Mediterranean. However, skepticism arises among Yemeni military analysts regarding the Houthis’ capability to execute such attacks in distant waters.

Brig. Gen. Mohammed Al-Kumaim questions the Houthis’ technical and military capacity for Mediterranean strikes, suggesting their expansion of targeting may serve political objectives rather than operational feasibility. Al-Kumaim implies the possibility of the Houthis attributing attacks in the Mediterranean to Iran-backed groups, emphasizing the challenges in translating threats into action without advanced weaponry.

As the Houthis navigate political and military dynamics, their maritime threats evoke skepticism, raising questions about their strategic objectives and actual capabilities. While their declarations serve propaganda purposes, doubts persist regarding their ability to materialize threats beyond the confines of regional waters.

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The coalition has been striking Houthi targets since January 12, saying it aimed to degrade Houthi military capabilities…reports Asian Lite News

 A warplane of the US-British coalition launched airstrikes on Houthi military targets in Yemen’s port city of Hodeidah on the Red Sea, the media reported.

The Houthi-run al-Masirah TV said on Monday that the strikes hit the al-Taif area in the southern Durayhimi district, without providing more details.

The coalition has been striking Houthi targets since January 12, saying it aimed to degrade Houthi military capabilities and deter the group from launching missile attacks against shipping vessels transiting the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, Xinhua news agency reported.

The Houthis, however, responded by launching more attacks against ships, vowing further escalation.

Yemen has been embroiled in a civil war since late 2014 when the Iran-backed Houthis seized control of several northern provinces and forced the Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces out of the capital Sanaa.

After the 2018 UN-sponsored Stockholm agreement, supported by the US and Britain, the Houthis consolidated their control over the strategic port city of Hodeidah, thwarting attempts by the internationally-recognised Yemeni government forces to retake the city.

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The Houthis claim that their missile and drone assaults against US ships are both in support of the Palestinian people…reports Asian Lite News

A maritime coalition led by the US in the Red Sea foiled a major drone attack by the Houthis on Saturday as the Yemeni militia claimed to have fired dozens of drones and ballistic missiles at commercial and navy ships.

The US Central Command said that its navy ships, warplanes and others from allied countries shot down 15 drones fired by the Houthis in Yemen at commercial and navy ships in the Red Sea, accusing the militia of endangering international maritime navigation in the strategic shipping channel.

The French military also said that its warships and aircraft shot down four drones launched by the Houthis on Saturday targeting the EU maritime operation in the Gulf of Aden.

In Sanaa, Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea said that their naval and drone forces launched a “number” of missiles at the “US-owned” cargo ship Propel Fortune, as well as 37 drones at US Navy vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

The Houthis claim that their missile and drone assaults against US ships are both in support of the Palestinian people and vengeance for US and UK bombings on regions under their control in Yemen.

According to information about the targeted ship on www.marinetraffic.com, which provides data on ship movements and whereabouts, the bulk carrier is sailing under the flag of Singapore and left India’s Dhamra Port on Feb. 25 to an undisclosed location, posting a “No connect to Israel” message on the website to avoid being targeted by the Houthis.

Since November, Iran-backed Houthis have seized a commercial ship and launched hundreds of drones, ballistic missiles, and remotely operated and explosive-laden boats, against foreign commercial and naval vessels in the Red Sea, Bab Al-Mandab Strait and Gulf of Aden.

The Houthis claim that their strikes are intended to push Israel to release supplies of water, food and medicine into the besieged Gaza Strip in Palestine.

However, many Yemenis believe that the Houthis are attacking ships to win the hearts and minds of Yemenis who are outraged by Israeli military operations in Gaza, to divert attention away from their failure to address public services or pay public employees in areas under their control, and to prepare for attacks against their opponents in Yemen.

Tawfeeq Al-Sharjabi, Yemen’s water and environment minister, and a member of the Yemen government’s crisis cell tasked with dealing with the sunk MV Rubymar ship in the Red Sea, told Arab News that an oil spill expert from the UN team would assist in the rescue of the ship after arriving in Aden on Saturday and that the remaining four members of the same team would arrive in the coming days.

“When the remaining specialists arrive, which is anticipated within a few days, they will meet with the government’s ship crisis management cell to go over the emergency response plan and commence field landing and inspection,” Al-Sharjabi said.

On March 2, the Belize-flagged and Lebanese-operated ship sank in the Red Sea, carrying more than 21,000 tons of ammonium phosphate-sulfate NPS fertilizer and more than 200 tons of gasoline, almost two weeks after being severely damaged by Houthi missiles.

The ship has raised concerns about an impending environmental calamity in the Red Sea, prompting the Yemeni authorities to request international aid in retrieving the ship.

On Saturday, hundreds of people, including fishermen, organized a demonstration in the Red Sea Khokha region to condemn Houthi assaults on ships in the Red Sea and to urge for the rescue of the sinking ship.

The demonstrators held banners accusing the Houthis of harming Red Sea security and nautical life, as well as threatening their livelihoods.

“The targeting of commercial ships damaged us, the fishermen, not Israel,” read one of the posters.

“Thousands of fishermen’s families face famine due to the Rubymar ship’s sinking,” said another.

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