US says Houthis fired ballistic missile at tanker in Gulf of Aden, but missed
CENTCOM says no injuries or damage as projectile fired by Iran backed-group hit the water in Saturday attack; US military downs 2 drones over southern Red Sea
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said early on Monday that Yemen’s Houthis fired an anti-ship ballistic missile likely targeting the MV Torm Thor, but missed the US-flagged, owned, and operated oil tanker in the Gulf of Aden on Saturday.
The missile impacted the water causing no damage nor injuries, CENTCOM added in a post on X.
The Iran-aligned group said on Sunday that it targeted the tanker, as it continues to attack shipping lanes in what it says is solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.
The US military also shot down in “self-defense” two one-way unmanned aerial attack vehicles over the southern Red Sea on Sunday, said CENTCOM.
The Houthis, who control the most populous parts of Yemen, have launched exploding drones and missiles at commercial vessels since November 19 as a protest against Israel’s military operations in Gaza, sparked by Hamas’s unprecedented attack in which terrorists rampaged through Israel’s south murdering some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and kidnapping 253.
The attacks have forced some importers to find alternate routes to transfer their goods, causing shipping to take longer and causing potentially severe damage to the economy.
In response, the US and the UK have struck Houthi targets in Yemen, causing the Iran-backed group to declare a ban on Friday on all US-, UK-, and Israeli-owned ships passing through the Red Sea. However, ships with no clear links to those countries have been targeted as well.
The Houthis have also fired rockets and launched drones toward Israel.
