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Houthis claim targeting US, Israeli ships

The Houthi group has been controlling much of northern Yemen since the Yemeni civil war erupted in late 2014….reports Asian Lite News

Yemen’s Houthi group has claimed responsibility for launching three attacks, targeting two US ships in the Gulf of Aden and an Israeli ship in the Indian Ocean.

“In support of the Palestinian people in Gaza, and in response to the American-British aggression against our country (Yemen), our naval forces carried out a military operation targeting the American ship (MAERSK YORKTOWN) in the Gulf of Aden, with a number of suitable naval missiles, and the hit was accurate,” Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea said in a statement aired by Houthi-run al-Masirah TV on Wednesday.

“We also carried out other two military operations using bomb-laden drones, one of which targeted an American warship in the Gulf of Aden, with a number of drones, and the other operation targeted the Israeli ship (MSC VERACRUZ) in the Indian Ocean with a number of drones. Both operations achieved their goals successfully,” he said without specifying the date of those attacks.

“We confirm that we will continue to prevent Israeli ships or any ship heading to Israel from transiting the Red Sea, Arabian Sea, and the Indian Ocean until the Israeli aggression on the Palestinian people in Gaza is stopped and the siege is lifted,” Sarea said, vowing that his group would take more actions in the coming days.

Earlier in the day, the UK Maritime Trade Operations reported an explosion near a ship in the Gulf of Aden, which it said caused no damage or casualties, Xinhua news agency reported.

The Houthi group has been controlling much of northern Yemen since the Yemeni civil war erupted in late 2014.

After the Israel-Hamas conflict broke out on October 7, 2023, the Houthi group declared its support for Hamas and began attacking ships linked to Israel in the Red Sea in November.

In response to the Houthi attacks, the US and UK launched a joint military operation in January, conducting air raids and missile strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen.

Following the military action by Washington and London, the Houthi group vowed retaliation and expanded its targeting to include US and British ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.

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Red Sea coalition destroys Houthi drone, boat

Steven Fagin, the US ambassador to Yemen, called the Houthi destruction of houses “a brutal attack,” and said that the Yemeni militia continues to mistreat Yemenis in areas they control…reports Asian Lite News

The US-led naval coalition in the Red Sea has destroyed a Houthi drone and a remote-controlled, explosive-laden boat targeting merchant vessels off the Yemen coast.

US Central Command said early on Thursday that its forces had destroyed a remote-controlled boat, while an aircraft from the US-led coalition shot down a drone launched by the Yemeni militia on Wednesday at international commercial and naval ships.

“It was determined these weapons presented an imminent threat to merchant vessels and US Navy ships in the region,” CENTCOM said.

The EU’s Red Sea naval mission said on Wednesday that a French Navy helicopter shot down a Houthi drone flying over the southern Red Sea near commercial vessels. The Houthis have yet to claim responsibility for launching the drone or boat.

Since November, the militia has launched hundreds of missiles, drones, and remote-controlled boats against foreign commercial and naval ships in the Red Sea, Bab Al-Mandab Strait, and Gulf of Aden, claiming to be acting in support of Palestinians.

Meanwhile, the Houthis face growing condemnation over their deadly house destruction in Al-Bayda.

Yemen’s internationally recognized government urged the world, including the UN and other international bodies, on Thursday to designate the militia as terrorists, and to condemn Houthi human rights violations, such as the recent demolition of homes in Radaa, Al-Bayda, which left 35 civilians injured or dead.

In a letter to the UN Security Council, the UN secretary-general, and international delegates at the UN, the Yemeni government requested the UN take “concrete and strict measures” against the Houthis to put an end to their abuses in Yemen.

“While the terrorist Houthi militias falsely claim to be protecting the Palestinian people in Gaza, they continue to commit the same atrocities and heinous crimes against the Yemeni people that the Israeli occupation forces do against Palestinians.”

At the same time, foreign embassies in Yemen, as well as local and international human rights organizations, have condemned the Houthis for damaging people’s houses in Radaa and urged them to stop their attacks.

In a post on X, the British Embassy described “harrowing” photographs of Houthi damage to houses in Radaa, and expressed condolences to the families of the victims. “We condemn the attack in the strongest terms. More tragic loss of life from reckless Houthi attacks.”

Steven Fagin, the US ambassador to Yemen, called the Houthi destruction of houses “a brutal attack,” and said that the Yemeni militia continues to mistreat Yemenis in areas they control.

“This act of violence serves as a grim reminder of the ongoing suffering and instability that persists in areas controlled by the Houthis. The people of Yemen deserve to live in a safe and secure environment, free from the threat of violence and oppression, and the United States remains committed to supporting peace in Yemen,” the US ambassador said in a statement on X.

Human Rights Watch also called on the Houthis to immediately investigate the destruction of homes, bring those responsible to justice, and compensate those affected.

“Houthi forces in Yemen are continuing their brutal treatment of civilians under their rule by deliberately detonating a residential home and apparently killing at least nine people from the same family,” Michael Page, deputy Middle East and North Africa director at Human Rights Watch, said in a statement.

ALSO READ-UNSC calls for halt to Houthi attacks on Red Sea vessels

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UNSC calls for halt to Houthi attacks on Red Sea vessels

UN officials expressed concern that parties involved in the conflict in Yemen might engage in “risky military adventurism” that could push the country into a new cycle of war…reports Asian Lite News

The UN Security Council on Monday condemned “in the strongest terms” Houthi strikes against international maritime traffic in the Red Sea and demanded that all such attacks “cease immediately.”

The Iran-backed Houthis have been targeting vessels in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden since November and say their assaults will continue until Israel ends its war on Gaza.

The attacks highlighted by the council included one on March 6 on the Barbados-flagged merchant carrier True Confidence in the Gulf of Aden, which left two Filipino nationals and a Vietnamese citizen dead and several crew members injured. It was the first fatal strike against shipping by the Houthis.

Another was an anti-ballistic missile attack on Feb. 18 that targeted the Belize-flagged, UK-owned cargo ship Rubymar and caused it to sink. The vessel was carrying 21,000 tonnes of fertilizer, raising fears of environmental damage to the Red Sea, including its coral reefs and marine life.

Council members reiterated the importance of the “full implementation of Resolution 2216” and subsequent resolutions that call for an end to the violence in Yemen and to all unilateral actions that threaten the political process in the country.

They emphasized the need for “practical cooperation, including with the government of Yemen, to prevent the Houthis from acquiring the arms and related materiel necessary to carry out further attacks,” and reiterated that all member states must adhere to “their obligations in regards to the targeted arms embargo.”

The council also demanded the immediate release of the Japanese-operated cargo ship Galaxy Leader and the 25 members of its crew, who have been unlawfully detained by the Houthis for more than 100 days.

Members emphasized the importance of Red Sea maritime routes to humanitarian operations in Yemen and beyond, and to the local fishing industry and the Yemeni people whose livelihoods it supports. They reaffirmed that “the exercise of navigational rights and freedoms by merchant and commercial vessels of all states transiting the Red Sea and Baab Al-Mandab, in accordance with international law, must be respected.”

With that in mind, council members warned of the adverse effects of a “March 4 Houthi decision purporting to require ships obtain a permit from their ‘Maritime Affairs Authority’ before entering Yemeni waters, on the freedom of commercial navigation and humanitarian operations, including into Yemen.”

Last week, UN officials expressed concern that parties involved in the conflict in Yemen might engage in “risky military adventurism” that could push the country into a new cycle of war.

“Although we have tried to shield the peace process from regional developments since the war in Gaza, the reality is (that) what happens regionally impacts Yemen, and what happens in Yemen can impact the region,” Hans Grundberg, the UN’s special envoy for Yemen said during a meeting of the Security Council to discuss the latest developments in the country and the Red Sea. “The current trajectory gives cause for serious concern.”

Council members stressed the importance of efforts to enhance regional and international cooperation to counter threats to peace and security in the region, and called for a deescalation of hostilities in the Red Sea to help preserve the peace process in Yemen.

They commended the internationally recognized government of Yemen on its efforts “to preserve the maritime environment,” and called on all UN member states, organizations and agencies to support that work.

The council also emphasized the need to “prevent further regional spillover of the conflict, and its impact on the security and the stability of the region and beyond,” and reiterated “the necessity to address the root causes contributing to regional tensions and to the disruption of maritime security in order to ensure a prompt, efficient and effective response.”

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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.

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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.

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