Yemen's Houthi militants targeted three vessels, including an oil tanker, in the Red and Mediterranean seas with ballistic missiles, drones, and booby-trapped boats, according to a statement on
Monday. Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said these operations were in response to an Israeli airstrike on the southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis on Saturday, which killed at least 90 Palestinians and wounded 300 others, as reported by the Gaza Health Ministry.
Since November, the Houthis have carried out numerous attacks, sinking two vessels, seizing another, killing at least three sailors, and disrupting global trade by causing ship owners to avoid the Suez Canal.
Their tactics have evolved, becoming more effective at damaging ships by using unmanned, armed watercraft that strike at a vessel's vulnerable waterline.
In a televised speech, Saree stated that the Houthis targeted the Bentley I refined products carrier and the Chios Lion tanker ship in the Red Sea. Additionally, they, along with the Iraqi Islamic Resistance, targeted the Olvia in the Mediterranean Sea.
Attempts to reach the managers of the Panama-flagged Bentley I, Liberia-flagged Chios Lion, and Cyprus-flagged Olvia for comment were unsuccessful.
Earlier on Monday, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported that two vessels were attacked in the Red Sea near Yemen's port city of Hodeidah. One ship reported sustaining some damage after being attacked by an uncrewed drone boat that hit its port side, causing light smoke and minor damage. The ship and its crew were reported safe and continued to their next port of call.
Another merchant vessel, 70 nautical miles southwest of Hodeidah, reported three missile explosions nearby after being attacked by three small watercraft. UKMTO and security firm Ambrey noted that the vessel experienced a missile explosion at 0800 GMT, followed by two more explosions around 45 minutes later. Later in the day, the captain reported another projectile exploding close to the vessel at 1530 GMT. The ship and crew remained safe.
During the attack, an unmanned small craft collided with the vessel twice, and two manned small crafts fired at it. Both the vessel and crew were safe and proceeded to the next port of call, according to Ambrey.
While there was no immediate claim of responsibility, since November, Houthi militants in Yemen have launched drone and missile strikes in shipping lanes in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, claiming these actions show solidarity with Palestinians affected by Israel's war in Gaza.
The vessel executed "self-protection measures," and the small craft aborted the attack after 15 minutes, according to UKMTO.
These Houthi attacks have prompted retaliatory strikes from the U.S. and Britain since February.
A report by the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency indicated that at least 65 countries and major energy and shipping companies have been impacted by Houthi attacks. Photo by Henry Ridgwell (VOA), Wikimedia commons.
