Houthi military helicopter flies over the Galaxy Leader cargo ship in the Red Sea in this photo released November 20, 2023. Houthi Military Media/Handout via REUTERS Acquire Licensing Rights
Published December 6, 2023
Saudi Arabia has asked the United States to show restraint in responding to attacks by Yemen’s Houthis against ships in the Red Sea, two sources familiar with Saudi thinking said, as Riyadh seeks to contain spillover from the Hamas-Israel war.
The Iran-aligned Houthis have waded into the conflictthat has spread around the Middle East since war erupted on Oct. 7, attacking vessels in vital shipping lanes and firing drones and missiles at Israel itself.
The group which rules much of Yemen says its attacks are a show of support for the Palestinians and has vowed they will continue until Israel stops its offensive on the Gaza Strip – more than 1,000 miles from their seat of power in Sanaa.
The Houthis are one of several groups in the Iran-aligned “Axis of Resistance” which have been attacking Israeli and U.S. targets since the start of the conflict on Oct. 7, when their Palestinian ally Hamas sparked the war by attacking Israel.
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SOURCE: www.Reuters.com
RELATED: US warship shoots drones after Houthi attack on commercial vessels
The US Navy Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Carney transits the Suez Canal, Egypt on Oct 18, 2023 (Photo: Reuters/US Navy/Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Aaron Lau)
Published December 5, 2023
SANAA: An American destroyer shot down multiple drones on Sunday (Dec 3) while assisting commercial ships in the Red Sea that were targeted by attacks from Yemen, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said.
Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels – who said they targeted two of the ships – launched a series of drones and missiles toward Israel in recent weeks and seized a cargo vessel last month, but the latest attacks mark a significant escalation in the threat to shipping in the area.
“There were four attacks against three separate commercial vessels operating in international waters in the southern Red Sea,” CENTCOM said in a statement.
“The Arleigh-Burke Class destroyer USS Carney responded to the distress calls from the ships and provided assistance” and shot down three drones that were heading for the warship during the day, the statement said.
The Carney detected a missile fired from a Houthi-controlled area of Yemen that landed near the Bahamas-flagged M/V Unity Explorer, while the cargo ship later reported minor damage
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SOURCE: www.channelnewsAsia.com
RELATED: 3 commercial ships hit by missiles in Houthi attack in Red Sea, US warship downs 3 drones
There has been an increasing risk posed by Yemen’s Houthi rebels launching attacks on shipping in the Red Sea, according to The Associated Press’ News Director for the Gulf and Iran.
Published December 6, 2023
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Ballistic missiles fired by Yemen’s Houthi rebels struck three commercial ships Sunday in the Red Sea, while a U.S. warship shot down three drones in self-defense during the hourslong assault, the U.S. military said. The Iranian-backed Houthis claimed two of the attacks.
The strikes marked an escalation in a series of maritime attacks in the Mideast linked to the Israel-Hamas war, as multiple vessels found themselves in the crosshairs of a single Houthi assault for the first time in the conflict. The U.S. vowed to “consider all appropriate responses” in the wake of the attack, specifically calling out Iran, after tensions have been high for years now over Tehran’s rapidly advancing nuclear program.
“These attacks represent a direct threat to international commerce and maritime security,” the U.S. military’s Central Command said in a statement. “They have jeopardized the lives of international crews representing multiple countries around the world.”
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SOURCE: www.apnews.com
