U.S. Defense Details Latest Houthi Attacks on Shipping

The U.S. Department of Defense has provided new details on a busy 24 hours defending against Houthi attacks on shipping by Iranian-backed Houthi terrorist group.

The Houthis on Wednesday claimed to have carried out a missile an attack targeting an “American merchant ship” in the Gulf of Aden after launching missiles at a U.S. Navy destroyer. The group identified the vessel as the M/V Koi, a Liberian-flagged containership.

On Thursday, the U.S. Central Command released a statement providing more context on the incidents. The statement detailed three separate engagements that took place on Thursday, February 1.

The first incident occurred early in the morning, at approximately 5 a.m. Sanaa time, when U.S. forces shot down a unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) over the Gulf of Aden. The second event unfolded later in morning when the U.S. forces intercepted and destroyed an Iranian-backed Houthi explosive uncrewed surface vehicle (USV) in the Red Sea. They had identified the USV heading towards the international shipping lane, posing an immediate threat to merchant vessels and U.S. Navy ships in the region.

Then, at approximately 12:45 p.m. (Sanaa time), the Houthis launched two anti-ship ballistic missiles from their controlled areas in Yemen, likely targeting the M/V Koi in the Red Sea. Fortunately, the missiles landed in the water, causing no injuries or damage to the Koi or any coalition ships in the vicinity.

The Central Command identified the Koi as a Bermuda-owned cargo ship. The ship happens to be operated by UK-based Oceonix Services, which also manages the oil tanker Marlin Luanda which was damaged by a missile on January 26 in the Gulf of Gulf of Aden.

These incidents came just hours after a new round of offensive strikes by U.S. forces against Houthi targets in Yemen.

According to Central Command, at approximately 1:30 a.m, forces conducted strikes against an Iranian-backed Houthi UAV ground control station and 10 Houthi one-way UAVs in Yemen, which were identified as imminent threats to merchant vessels and U.S. navy ships. The UAV ground control station and 10 one-way attack UAVs were subsequently destroyed.

Before that, at 8:30 p.m. Sanaa time on Jan. 31, the USS Carney shot down a Houthi ballistic missile fired from Yemen. Forty minutes laters, it engaged and downed three UAVs in its vicinity.

“U.S. Central Command’s actions will protect freedom of navigation and make international waters safer and more secure for U.S. Navy vessels and merchant vessels,” it said.

Later on Thursday, Houthi officials claimed its naval forces targeted a “British merchant vessel” in the Red Sea, without providing any evidence or additional details about the ship. It also reiterated its position that attacks on shipping will continue as long as Israel continues with its assault on Hamas on Gaza.

Shipping equities took a beating during intraday trading on Thursday following a report of a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas conflict before partially recovering after the report was retracted.

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