From the Liveblog of
Friday, June 7, 2024
Yemen’s Houthis claim to have targeted two vessels in Red Sea with drones and missiles
Yemen’s Houthis launched two military operations targeting two vessels in the Red Sea, the Iran-backed group’s military spokesman Yahya Saree claims.
The Houthi militia, which controls the most populous parts of Yemen, has staged attacks on ships in the waters off the country for months in solidarity with Palestinians amid Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza.
The Elbella and AAL GENOA vessels were targeted with “a number of drones and ballistic and naval missiles,” Saree says in a televised speech.
Saree did not specify the date on which the operations were carried out. Reuters did not receive any reports of incidents in the Red Sea on today.
Months of Houthi attacks in the Red Sea have disrupted global shipping, forcing firms to re-route to longer and more expensive journeys around Southern Africa, and stoked fears that the Israel-Hamas war could spread and destabilize the wider Middle East.
The United States and Britain have carried out strikes against Houthi targets in response to the attacks on shipping.
Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.
