In a significant escalation of hostilities, the Yemeni Houthi group declared on Saturday that it had targeted a US military ship, the ‘Propel Fortune,’ in the Gulf of Aden, along with several American war destroyers in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. According to Houthi spokesman Yahya Saree, the operations were deemed successful.
The first operation, utilizing naval missiles, aimed at the American ship ‘Propel Fortune’ in the Gulf of Aden, while the second operation involved 37 drones targeting multiple US war destroyers in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
This marks the largest attack by the Houthi group on Israeli, American, and British ships since they initiated assaults in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, as reported by Anadolu.
Responding to the Houthi offensive, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed the downing of 15 Houthi drones in Yemen. The large-scale attack with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) occurred in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. CENTCOM stated that the Houthi drones presented an imminent threat to merchant vessels, U.S. Navy, and coalition ships in the region, leading to the interception of 15 one-way attack UAVs.
Earlier on Saturday, CENTCOM also reported a strike against two anti-ship missiles in Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen on Friday.
Tensions have heightened in the Red Sea, with Houthi attacks targeting commercial ships suspected of having ties with Israel. The Houthis assert that these actions are aimed at pressuring Israel to cease its offensive in the Gaza Strip, which, according to their claims, has resulted in more than 30,800 deaths and over 72,400 injuries since the October 7 cross-border offensive by the Palestinian group Hamas.
In response to Houthi attacks, the US and UK initiated airstrikes as of January 12 against Houthi targets in Yemen. These retaliatory actions have raised concerns about potential inflation and disruptions in the global supply chain.
The Red Sea, being one of the world’s most frequently used sea routes for oil and fuel shipments, adds a critical dimension to the evolving situation in the region
