Resilient Houthis strike US-owned container ship

Yemeni rebels Houthis committed its latest attack on an American ship on January 15, according to Reuters and other news outlets globally. 

The US Central Command confirmed that the group hit M/V Gibraltar with an anti-ship ballistic missile but did not report any significant damages on casualties. 

M/V Gibraltar is operated by Eagle Bulk Shipping, an-American based owner of dry bulk vessels. 

With regards to the recent incident, the operator commented, “As a result of the impact, the vessel suffered limited damage to a cargo hold but is stable and is heading out of the area,” 

Houthis, who have a tight grip of the Red Sea’s coast, have said that they have carried out all their attacks on Western countries’ ships, notably those perceived to be belonging to Israel, in solidarity with Gaza-controlling militants Hamas as the conflict between them and Israel rages on and there are fears that the clashes could expand across the region. 

READ: Houthis’ attacks in the Red Sea are hiking shipping fees

Houthis and the US have traded blows recently. On January 12, The UK and US, both strong allies of Israel, struck around 60 of the militants’ targets including in the capital Saana. This was a statement retaliation to months of attacks by the Houthi Movement on both commercial and military vessels. 

The group are completely undeterred by Western retaliation and on January 11, the rebels’ chief  Abdel-Malek al-Houthi, said in an angry televised speech that any attack on them by the United States would anger a spirited beast. 

Despite concerns by British MPs that strikes carried out by America and the UK could  fuel what is an already out-of-control fire in the Middle East, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak commented, “They fired on our ships and our sailors, it was the biggest attack on our navy for decades, and so we acted,”   

Reuters/ CNN