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Houthis warn attacks will intensify during Ramadan

Houthi media also said that the US and UK carried out five strikes on the northern province of Saada on Monday, but did not provide specific targets…reports Asian Lite News

US Central Command said it carried out six strikes on Yemen on Monday, destroying an unmanned underwater vessel and 18 anti-ship missiles that the Yemeni Houthi militia had prepared to launch at US and international ships in the Red Sea, as the group warned it was prepared to step up attacks in the region during Ramadan.

The Houthis launched two missiles at the Pinocchio, a Singaporean-owned and Liberian-flagged ship, between 8:50 a.m. and 12:50 p.m. Sanaa time on Monday, according to CENTCOM. The missiles failed to impact the ship and caused no injuries or damage.

Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea claimed the Pinocchio is owned by the US and that their missiles “precisely” targeted the ship, pledging to intensify their assaults on shipping in the Red Sea, Bab Al-Mandab Strait, and the Gulf of Aden during Ramadan.

“The Yemeni Armed Forces declare that, with God’s help, their military actions would expand throughout Ramadan, the month of jihad in support of the oppressed Palestinian people and our mujahideen brothers in Gaza,” Sarea said in a televised statement.

Houthi media also said that the US and UK carried out five strikes on the northern province of Saada on Monday, but did not provide specific targets.

Since November, the Iran-backed Houthis have attacked commercial and military ships in international waters off Yemen, claiming to be acting in support of Palestinians and attempting to force Israel to end its campaign in Gaza.

Last week, Houthi militia leader Abdul Malik Al-Houthi said the group has launched over 400 drones and missiles against more than 60 ships since the start of their operations.

Meanwhile, Yemen’s Information Minister Muammar Al-Eryani praised social media platform X for removing verification badges from Houthi media outlet and militia commanders’ accounts.

According to the ministry, X has withdrawn the blue verification mark from Houthi-affiliated Al-Masirah Channel as well as accounts belonging to Sarea, Al-Houthi and others, and is preparing to shut those accounts at the request of the government.

“We commend this step that we have repeatedly called for as part of government efforts to dry up the Houthi militia (financial, political and media) resources, and we renew our demand for social media applications and satellite companies to ban the content of the Houthi militia,” Al-Eryani said on X.

Days after the US decision to reclassify the Houthis as terrorists in January, the Yemeni government sent official letters to major social media platforms such as Meta and X, demanding that they close Houthi media accounts as well as those belonging to the militia’s officials and sympathizers, accusing the Houthis of using social media platforms to incite hatred, recruit children for terrorism, and call for attacks on maritime traffic.

ALSO READ-US coalition foils ‘large-scale’ Houthi attack in Red Sea

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Houthi Militia Launches Over 400 Drones and Missiles

Immediate retaliatory airstrikes by the US and UK coalition targeted Hodeidah airport, repurposed as a military base by Houthi fighters, according to Houthi media…reports Asian Lite News

Yemen’s Houthi militia leader, Abdul Malik Al-Houthi, announced on Thursday the launch of 403 drones and missiles targeting 61 ships in the Red Sea, Bab Al-Mandab Strait, and the Gulf of Aden since the onset of their offensive. Al-Houthi boasted of retaliatory strikes by US and UK military forces, claiming they had bolstered his group’s capabilities.

During a televised address, Al-Houthi disclosed that 19 missiles and drones targeted seven ships since Friday, utilizing advanced weaponry undetected by US and UK naval forces. He highlighted the precision and devastating impact of recent attacks, including one on the M/V True Confidence, a Barbados-flagged bulk carrier, resulting in the deaths of three sailors and injuries to four others, according to the US Central Command.

Simultaneously, Houthi media reported US and UK airstrikes on Ras Isa in western Hodeidah province, following previous strikes on the city’s airport. The US military preemptively targeted Houthi ballistic missiles, drones, and explosive-laden boats, intended for international and commercial vessels in the Red Sea.

In response, the Houthis accused the US of pressuring ships to challenge their blockade and disregarding warnings against entering the Red Sea. Mohammed Abdulsalam, a Houthi negotiator, held the US accountable for any repercussions in the region.

Mohammed Ali Al-Houthi, head of the Houthi Supreme Revolutionary Committee, denied intent to harm civilian sailors, offering compensation if the US shared costs. The Houthis framed their actions as support for Palestinians and pressure on Israel to ease restrictions on Gaza.

Meanwhile, concerns arose over an environmental catastrophe from the sinking of the M/V Rubymar, struck by a Houthi missile in February. The Intergovernmental Authority on Development urged peaceful resolution to the crisis, emphasizing the need to halt attacks on ships.

In response to the M/V True Confidence attack, the US Central Command reported fatalities and significant damage, with most crew members escaping using lifeboats. The UK Maritime Trade Operations confirmed the ship’s abandonment and subsequent damage from the attack.

Immediate retaliatory airstrikes by the US and UK coalition targeted Hodeidah airport, repurposed as a military base by Houthi fighters, according to Houthi media.

Amid escalating tensions, the Red Sea region faces heightened insecurity, with maritime trade routes increasingly vulnerable to conflict-related disruptions.

ALSO READ-We will continue attacking British ships, says Houthi rebels

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We will continue attacking British ships, says Houthi rebels

The vessel had been abandoned for 12 days after the attack, though plans had been made to try and tow the ship to a safe port before its sinking…reports Asian Lite News

Yemen’s Houthi rebels have vowed to continue targeting British ships in the Gulf of Aden following the sinking of a UK-owned vessel.

The US military confirmed that the UK-owned vessel Rubymar had sunk after being struck by an anti-ship ballistic missile fired by the Iranian-backed Houthi militants on February 18.

The vessel had been abandoned for 12 days after the attack, though plans had been made to try and tow the ship to a safe port before its sinking.

It was the first vessel to be fully destroyed as part of the Houthis’ campaign in response to Israel’s war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

“Yemen will continue to sink more British ships, and any repercussions or other damages will be added to Britain’s bill,” Hussein al-Ezzi, deputy foreign minister in the Houthi-led government, said in a post on X.

“It is a rogue state that attacks Yemen and partners with America in sponsoring ongoing crimes against civilians in Gaza.”

Houthi militants have repeatedly launched drones and missiles against international commercial shipping since mid November, saying they are acting in solidarity with Palestinians against Israel’s military actions in Gaza.

Their Red Sea attacks have disrupted global shipping, forcing firms to re-route to longer and more expensive journeys around southern Africa, and stoked fears that the Israel-Hamas war could spread to destabilise the wider Middle East.

The US and Britain began striking Houthi targets in Yemen in January in retaliation for the attacks on Red Sea shipping.

The sinking of the Rubymar comes as shipping through the crucial waterway for cargo and energy shipments moving from Asia and the Middle East to Europe continues to be affected by the Houthi attacks. Many ships have turned away from the route.

The sinking could mean further detours and higher insurance rates put on vessels plying the Red Sea route – potentially driving up global inflation and affecting aid shipments to the region.

The Belize-flagged Rubymar had been drifting northward after being struck by a Houthi anti-ship ballistic missile on 18 February in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which links the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.

Yemen’s internationally recognised government, as well as a regional military official, confirmed the ship had sunk. The official spoke on condition of anonymity as no authorisation was given to speak to journalists about the incident. The Rubymar’s Beirut-based manager could not immediately be reached for comment.

The Iran-backed Houthis, who had falsely claimed the ship sank almost instantly after the attack, did not immediately acknowledge its sinking.

The Houthis insist their attacks will continue until Israel stops its combat operations in the Gaza Strip, which have enraged the wider Arab world and seen the Houthis gain international recognition. However, there has been a slowdown in attacks in recent days. The reason for that remains unclear

ALSO READ-UK-owned ship attacked by Houthis sinks

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UK-owned ship attacked by Houthis sinks

Its registered owner is Golden Adventure Shipping, which has an address in the British port of Southampton. The ship was believed to have been carrying a cargo of ammonium nitrate fertiliser…reports Asian Lite News

A cargo ship has sunk two weeks after being attacked by Houthis in the Gulf of Aden. Yemen’s government said the Rubymar was drifting and taking on water for days before it sank.

It is the first ship to have been sunk by the Iran-backed rebels in Yemen since they began targeting vessels in the Red Sea. The ship was reportedly carrying fertilisers and experts say the sinking risks “an environmental catastrophe”.

The Rubymar was in the Gulf of Aden near the Bab al-Mandab Strait when it was hit by two missiles fired by Yemen-based Houthi rebels. Ten days ago, the British government said that the vessel had been taking in water and all its 24 crew had been rescued.

The vessel’s owners said at the time that it was being towed to nearby Djibouti but could yet sink. It said it was unable to confirm it had given there was no one aboard. The 172m-long Rubymar was flagged in Belize and operated by a Lebanese firm.

Its registered owner is Golden Adventure Shipping, which has an address in the British port of Southampton. The ship was believed to have been carrying a cargo of ammonium nitrate fertiliser.

The prime minister of Yemen’s internationally recognised government, Ahmed Awad Bin Mubarak, called the ship’s sinking “an unprecedented environmental disaster”. Greenpeace said a spill of ammonium nitrate could have “significant impacts on marine ecosystems”, which in the southern Red Sea feature coral reefs, coastal mangroves and diverse marine life.

The Marine Science department at the University of Jordan said that the release of large amounts of fertiliser into the sea could stimulate excessive growth of algae, using up so much oxygen that regular marine life would not survive.

The head of the department, Ali Al-Sawalmih, said that an urgent plan was needed “to establish a clean-up strategy”. In a post on X, a Houthi leader, Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, said that British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and the UK government “had a chance to recover the Rubymar by allowing aid trucks into Gaza.”

Since November, the Houthi rebels have been carrying out attacks on ships linked to Israel in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, saying their actions are in support of the Palestinians in Gaza.

On Saturday, the UK Maritime Trade body, UKMTO, said it had received a report of a ship being attacked west of Yemen’s port of Mokha. The UKMTO said: “The crew took the vessel to anchor and were evacuated by military authorities”. Separately, the UKMTO reported a ship sinking, close to where the Rubymar was last seen.

The US Central Command said it carried out “a self-defence strike” against a Houthi surface-to-air missile that was about to be launched from Yemen.

ALSO READ-UK factories struggle in February as job cuts accelerate

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Houthi Red Sea strikes hits UK retailers

The BCC’s head of trade policy, William Bain, urged the UK government to provide more support to British retailers ahead of its budget next week…reports Asian Lite News

Disruptions to global trade caused by the Houthi campaign against shipping in the Red Sea is affecting more than half of all retailers in the UK.

Research conducted by the British Chambers of Commerce across more than 1,000 companies in the UK found that container shipping prices have jumped as much as 300 percent, while goods have been delayed for up to a month, prompting supply shortages and cash flow problems.

The Houthis launched their campaign against commercial vessels in November in a bid to end Israeli military strikes on Gaza, which began in the aftermath of the Oct. 7 Hamas attack.

Air and sea strikes against the Houthis in Yemen by US and UK forces have so far failed to curtail the attacks. Eighteen Houthi targets were hit in airstrikes over the weekend.

The average cost of shipping goods from China to Europe has more than doubled, with most ships preferring to travel around Africa rather than risk attack by approaching the Suez Canal.

In 2023, around 22 percent of all commercial shipping containers passed through the canal, according to the UN Conference on Trade and Development. That total has since fallen by 82 percent, with 586 ships rerouting around Africa.

The BCC’s head of trade policy, William Bain, urged the UK government to provide more support to British retailers ahead of its budget next week.

“There has been spare capacity in the shipping freight industry to respond to the difficulties, which has bought us some time. And recent (government) data also indicates the impact has yet to filter through to the UK economy, with inflation holding steady in January,” he said.

“But our research suggests that the longer the current situation persists, the more likely it is that the cost pressures will start to build.”

Bain said new post-Brexit laws “adding to costs and delays” had made it “a difficult time for firms.”

Credit ratings agency Moody’s warned this month that retailers would experience a “material impact on profitability by the end of 2024” if the situation in the Red Sea did not significantly improve.

Bain said: “The UK economy saw a drop in its total goods exports for 2023 and, with global demand weak, there is a need for the government to look at providing support in the March budget.”

The crisis has also led to an increase in pressure on air freight companies, with delivery aggregator ParcelHero noting an uptick of 8 percent on spot rates between Europe and China, and 14 percent between China and the US.

Supply issues are expected to worsen in March as Chinese exports increase following the country’s New Year holidays, which concluded over the weekend.

David Jinks, head of consumer research at ParcelHero, said: “Initially, there was a scramble for aviation services as businesses rushed to get products out before the festivities began.

“Now the continuing demand for air freight on this route is because many ships are berthed for the duration and containers are stuck firmly in Chinese ports until manufacturing ramps up enough to restore full services.

“Air freight enables those companies manufacturing and operating in Asia to leapfrog the Chinese bottleneck.”

ALSO READ-US downs three Houthi drones, strikes anti-ship missiles

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US downs three Houthi drones, strikes anti-ship missiles

CENTCOM said US forces destroyed “seven Iranian-backed Houthi mobile anti-ship cruise missiles that were prepared to launch toward the Red Sea….reports Asian Lite News

American forces shot down three attack drones near commercial ships in the Red Sea Friday and destroyed seven anti-ship cruise missiles positioned on land, the US military said.

Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis have been targeting shipping for months and their attacks have persisted despite repeated American and British strikes aimed at degrading the rebels’ ability to threaten a vital global trade route.

Early on Friday, US forces “shot down three Houthi one-way attack (drones) near several commercial ships operating in the Red Sea. There was no damage to any ships,” the Central Command (CENTCOM) said on social media.

In a statement later in the day, CENTCOM said US forces destroyed “seven Iranian-backed Houthi mobile anti-ship cruise missiles that were prepared to launch toward the Red Sea.”

It said those strikes , carried out between 12:30 p.m. and 7:15 p.m. Sanaa time, were made in self-defense.

“CENTCOM forces identified these missiles in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen and determined that they presented an imminent threat to merchant vessels and to the US Navy ships in the region,” it said in a statement.

The day prior, American forces struck four Houthi drones as well as two anti-ship cruise missiles, CENTCOM said, adding that the weapons “were prepared to launch from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen toward the Red Sea.”

The Houthis began attacking Red Sea shipping in November, saying they were hitting Israel-linked vessels in support of Palestinians in Gaza, which has been ravaged by the Israel-Hamas war.

US and UK forces responded with strikes against the Houthis, who have since declared American and British interests to be legitimate targets as well.

Anger over Israel’s devastating campaign in Gaza — which began after an unprecedented Hamas attack on October 7 — has grown across the Middle East, stoking violence involving Iran-backed groups in Lebanon, Iraq, Syria and Yemen.

ALSO READ: US warns of environmental disaster from cargo ship hit by Houthis

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Houthi Forces Target Commercial Ship Carrying Food Aid for Yemen

The attack was carried out using two ballistic missiles, according to a Houthi announcement…reports Asian Lite News

Yemen’s internationally recognised government has expressed strong condemnation for the Houthi group’s assault on a commercial ship carrying 40,000 ton of grain intended for the war-ravaged Yemen.

In a statement released by the state-run Saba news agency, the government said on Wednesday that the ship named the Sea Champion was fired upon by Houthi forces on Monday while sailing from Argentina to the port of Aden in southern Yemen, Xinhua news agency reported.

The attack was carried out using two ballistic missiles, according to a Houthi announcement.

The government added that the ship was carrying a cargo of 40,000 ton of grain, of which 9,229 ton of corn were destined for Aden. The rest was to be unloaded at the Houthi-controlled port of Hodeidah.

The Sea Champion has delivered vital food aid to Yemen 11 times over the past five years since the outbreak of the country’s civil war, according to the government.

Yemen’s Information Minister Muammar Al-Eryani described the assault as “a dangerous escalation of Houthi attacks on commercial ships”.

He accused the Houthis of exacerbating Yemen’s humanitarian crisis and forcing innocent civilians to pay the price.

The Houthis have stepped up their attacks on international shipping since mid-November last year, saying they were in solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza who faced Israeli attacks.

US Warplanes Launch Airstrikes Targeting Yemen’s Hodeidah Port City

US warplanes launched five airstrikes targeting Yemen’s Red Sea port city of Hodeidah, media reported.

The strikes hit in the area of Ras Issa in the district of al-Salif, northwest of the city, said the Houthi-run al-Masirah TV report on Wednesday, adding that there were no casualties.

Hodeidah’s residents said there were huge explosions in the Houthi-controlled military sea base in Ras Issa, Xinhua news agency reported.

The Houthis have been launching anti-ship missile attacks against international shipping vessels transiting the Red Sea since the past mid-November in what they said in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.

Many ships have been damaged, forcing several major shipping companies to change routes around Africa, which increased the prices of shipping and goods.

The US military, which has been hitting Houthi targets almost on a daily basis since January, has yet to comment on the alleged fresh strikes.

The armed Houthis have been controlling the strategic Hodeidah since the 2018 UN-sponsored Stockholm Agreement, which was backed by the US and Britain, forcing the internationally recognised government out.

ALSO READ-Stay Out of Red Sea Coalition, Houthis Tells EU

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US carried out ‘self-defence’ strikes against Houthi targets

The US CENTROM forces successfully conducted attacks against Houthi infrastructure and equipment between 1pm to 7.30 pm…reports Asian Lite News

The United States on Wednesday thwarted Houthi strikes against vessels in the Red Sea as it struck seven mobile anti-ship cruise missiles (ASCM) in “self-defence” in the Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen, United States Central Command (CENTCOM) said.

The US CENTROM forces successfully conducted attacks against Houthi infrastructure and equipment between 1pm to 7.30 pm (Sanaa time).

In the attack, the US military forces targeted seven mobile anti-ship cruise missiles (ASCM), three mobile unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), and one explosive unmanned surface vessel (USV) in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen.

“Feb. 14 Summary of Red Sea activities On Feb. 14, between the hours of 1p.m. – 7:30p.m.(Sanaa time), U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) forces successfully conducted four self-defense strikes against seven mobile anti-ship cruise missiles (ASCM), three mobile unmanned aerial vehicles(UAV), and one explosive unmanned surface vessel(USV) in Houthi controlled areas of Yemen, that were prepared to launch against ships in the Red Sea,” CENTROM posted on X.

“CENTCOM identified these mobile missiles, UAVs, and USV in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen and determined it presented an imminent threat to U.S. Navy ships and merchant vessels in the region. These actions will protect freedom of navigation and make international waters safer and more secure for U.S. Navy and merchant vessels,” it added.

The Iranian-backed Houthi rebels have been targeting these ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden since November as Israel carried out a ground offensive against the Hamas terror group in the Gaza Strip.

The Houthis have said that they will not stop attacking until Israel ends the hostilities in Gaza.

Earlier last week, the US carried out fresh ‘self-defence’ strikes against multiple Houthi missiles that presented an “imminent threat” to the US Navy ships and merchant vessels in the region.

The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said that it conducted strikes against two mobile unmanned surface vessels (USV), four mobile anti-ship cruise missiles, and one mobile land attack cruise missile (LACM).

Earlier this month, the US and the UK launched air and surface strikes, which also included fighter jets, against Houthi sites in Yemen. (ANI)

ALSO READ: Trump’s Criminal Trial Date Set Amid Allegations

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Yemen’s Houthis Fire Missiles at British Ship

The Houthis launched several missiles that hit the ship “directly and accurately…reports Asian Lite News

Yemen’s Houthi group has claimed responsibility for attacking a British ship in the Gulf of Aden with several missiles.

“We carried out a military operation against a British ship, Lycavitos, while it was sailing in the Gulf of Aden,” Yahya Sarea, the Houthi military spokesman, said in a statement aired by the group’s al-Masirah satellite TV channel on Thursday.

The Houthis launched several missiles that hit the ship “directly and accurately”, Xinhua news agency reported, citing Sarea.

The Barbados-flagged ship Lycavitos was sailing in the Indian Ocean to the east of Aden when it was hit by a missile strike, said a Yemeni government coast guard official who required anonymity.

Preliminary information indicated the vessel sustained minor damage from a fragment that struck the diesel generator’s pipe, causing a diesel leak, the official said. All crew members were unharmed in the incident.

Earlier in the day, the UK Maritime Operations Authority said it received a report of an explosion around 85 nautical miles east of Aden. The ship’s captain reported that the crew members were all safe as the ship headed toward its next port.

“We will continue to attack Israel-linked ships or those heading to Israeli ports in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden until the aggression on Gaza stops and the siege on the Palestinian people is lifted,” Sarea said in the statement.

“We are in the process of taking further military measures in response to the American-British aggression on our country and confirming our practical position to support the Palestinian people,” he added.

Meanwhile, the US and British forces on Thursday conducted new airstrikes on Yemen’s Red Sea port city of Hodeidah, the TV channel reported.

The airstrikes hit the area of al-Jah in the district of Bayt al-Faqih, south of Hodeidah, and the Al-Jabanah area in the northern part of the port city, the report said, without providing more details.

Since last November, Yemen’s Houthi group has been carrying out attacks in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab Strait on ships linked to Israel, in a move to show its solidarity with Hamas fighting with Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip since last October.

In response, the US and UK have launched airstrikes and missile attacks on Houthi targets in Yemen since January 12. The Houthis have vowed to retaliate by expanding attacks on ships, including American and British commercial and military vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

ALSO READ: US, UK carry out fresh strikes in Yemen

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Indian Warship Responds To Distress Call From Merchant Vessel In Gulf Of Aden

Based on the request from the MV Merlin Luanda, INS Visakhapatnam has deployed the Ship’s NBCD team along with firefighting equipment to provide assistance to the crew

Indian Navy’s guided missile destroyer INS Visakhapatnam deployed in the Gulf of Aden responded to a distress call from MV Merlin Luanda on Friday night. The MV has 22 Indian and 01 Bangladeshi crew onboard, according to the Indian Navy.

Based on the request from the MV Merlin Luanda, INS Visakhapatnam has deployed the Ship’s NBCD team along with firefighting equipment to provide assistance to the crew towards augmenting firefighting efforts onboard the distressed MV Merlin Luanda, according to the Indian Navy. The Indian Navy remains steadfast and committed towards safeguarding MVs and ensuring safety of life at sea, according to the statement released by Indian Navy spokesperson on X.

In a post on X, the Indian Navy spokesperson stated, “IndianNavy’s Guided missile destroyer, #INSVisakhapatnam, deployed in the #GulfofAden responded to a distress call from MV #MarlinLuanda on the night of #26Jan 24. The fire fighting efforts onboard the distressed Merchant Vessel is being augmented by the NBCD team along with firefighting equipment, deployed by #INSVisakhapatnam to assist the crew onboard the MV. The MV has 22 #Indian & 01 Bangladeshi crew onboard. #IndianNavy remains steadfast & committed towards safeguarding MVs & ensuring safety of life at sea.”

Meanwhile, the US Central Command stated that Houthi terrorists fired one anti-ship ballistic missile from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen and hit the Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker M/V Marlin Luanda

In a post on X, US Central Command stated, “Houthis Strike M/V Marlin Luanda Operating in the Gulf of Aden. On Jan. 26, at approximately 7:45 p.m. (Sanaa time), Iranian-backed Houthi terrorists fired one anti-ship ballistic missile from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen and struck the Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker M/V Marlin Luanda.”

“The ship issued a distress call and reported damage. USS Carney (DDG 64) and other coalition ships have responded and are rendering assistance. No injuries have been reported at this time,” it added.

Earlier this month, the Indian Navy’s mission-deployed guided missile destroyer, INS Visakhapatnam, addressed a distress call from the Marshall Island-flagged MV Genco Picardy following a drone attack on the night of January 17. INS Visakhapatnam, currently on an anti-piracy mission in the Gulf of Aden, promptly acknowledged the distress call. The destroyer intercepted the vessels at midnight on January 18, 2024, to provide immediate assistance. (ANI)