The Ansar Allah group (Houthis) announced today, Thursday, the targeting of the Israeli ships “MSC DEGO” and “MSC GINA” in the Gulf of Aden.
The group stated in a press release: “The targeting operation was carried out with a number of ballistic missiles and drones, and the strikes were precise.”
The statement added: “The missile force executed two qualitative operations targeting the ship MSC VITTORIA, the first in the Indian Ocean, and the other on the same ship in the Arabian Sea, with a direct hit.”
It pointed out that: “The Yemeni armed forces are monitoring the situation in the Gaza Strip and will not hesitate to escalate their military operations in solidarity with the Palestinian people’s plight, as stated in their previous statements.”
The Houthis reiterated that: “The Yemeni armed forces continue to prevent Israeli navigation bound for the occupied Palestinian ports in the declared operational area until the blockade is lifted and the aggression against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip ceases.”
Since last November, the Houthis in Yemen have been attacking Israeli ships or those headed to Israel in the Red Sea, “in support and victory for the Palestinian people and Gaza.”
Economically, the Houthi attacks have disrupted shipping routes that are crucial for global trade, particularly affecting the transport of goods from Asia to Europe via the Suez Canal. This disruption has led to increased shipping costs and prolonged delivery times, affecting various industries worldwide. For instance, rerouted shipping has increased fuel costs significantly, impacting the prices of goods and potentially contributing to global inflation during a cost-of-living crisis.
Both the United States and Britain accuse the Houthis of threatening navigation freedom in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, while Ansar Allah insists that they only target ships associated with Israel in solidarity with Gaza, which is facing a bloody war and a blockade imposed by Israel.
The United Nations Security Council has also discussed the impact of these attacks within a broader regional instability context, linking it to ongoing conflicts such as the war in Gaza. These discussions underscore the complex geopolitical dynamics at play and the potential for further escalation affecting regional peace and global trade.
