On Monday, the Houthi faction in Yemen announced it had executed a missile strike against a U.S. naval vessel in the Gulf of Aden, continuing its pattern of assaults on maritime targets in the vicinity.
The Houthis, who hold sway over much of Yemen’s north, including the capital, Sanaa, identified their target as the USS Lewis B. Puller, a vessel designed for expeditionary operations.
The group justified the attack by alleging the ship was involved in supporting U.S. military actions against Yemen. The Houthi spokesperson, Yahya Sarea, stated their intention to persist in targeting vessels linked to Israel or those en route to Israel until the blockade on Gaza by Israel is lifted.
The frequency of Houthi assaults on maritime traffic in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden has escalated amidst the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas that began in October.
Initially focusing on Israeli-linked vessels, their campaign has broadened to include targets from the U.S. and the UK.
A recent incident involved a missile attack by the Houthis on a British tanker, the “Marlin Luanda,” in the Gulf of Aden, which resulted in a significant fire, later extinguished with assistance from naval forces from the US, UK, and India, as reported by the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations.
In response to these maritime threats, the U.S. and UK have conducted airstrikes against Houthi positions, aiming to deter further incidents and safeguard international maritime commerce.
Moreover, the U.S. has announced its decision to reclassify the Houthi group as a “global terrorist organization,” a designation set to be implemented in the upcoming month.
