Yemen’s Houthis Claim Missile Attack on US Carrier Following Deadly Strikes
Yemen’s Houthi rebels have claimed responsibility for a missile attack on a United States aircraft carrier in the Red Sea, allegedly in retaliation for deadly US and British strikes on Yemen. The Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree announced the attack on the Eisenhower carrier on Friday. This comes after the Houthis reported that 16 people were killed in US and UK assaults on the Hodeidah province, the highest publicly acknowledged death toll from multiple rounds of strikes.
The fallout from Thursday’s attacks was reported on Al Masirah television, a Houthi-controlled channel. The broadcast included a video showing wounded civilians being treated in Hodeidah, with reports of at least 42 injuries.
Houthi Retaliation
“The American-British aggression will not prevent us from continuing our military operations in support of Palestine,” stated Houthi official Mohammed al-Bukhaiti on X, formerly known as Twitter. He warned that the rebels would “meet escalation with escalation.”
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed attacks on 13 Houthi targets, successfully destroying eight uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen and over the Red Sea.
British Military Involvement
The British Ministry of Defence reported that Royal Air Force Typhoon FGR4s conducted attacks on targets in Hodeidah and Ghulayfiqah. These targets included buildings housing drone ground control facilities and storage for long-range drones, as well as surface-to-air weapons. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak justified the military action as “self-defence in the face of an ongoing threat that the Houthis pose.”
Read More:Israeli Airstrike on Rafah Kills 12 Palestinians
Broader Conflict and Support
The Houthi movement, aligned with Iran, controls much of Yemen after nearly a decade of conflict against a Saudi-led coalition. The group has expressed strong support for Palestinians in Israel’s ongoing war on Gaza, which has resulted in over 36,000 deaths. Since November, the Houthis have launched repeated drone and missile attacks on ships in the Red Sea, Bab al-Mandeb strait, and the Gulf of Aden, demanding an end to the Israeli war.
International Reactions
Iran condemned the US-UK strikes as violations of Yemen’s sovereignty and international laws. Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani stated, “The aggressor US and British governments are responsible for the consequences of these crimes against the Yemeni people.”
According to the US Maritime Administration, the Houthis have carried out more than 50 attacks on shipping, resulting in the deaths of three sailors, the seizure of one vessel, and the sinking of another. This campaign has forced shipping companies to avoid the Red Sea route, which carries about 12 percent of global trade, opting instead for longer, costlier routes around Southern Africa.
Continued Hostilities
Despite retaliatory strikes by the US and UK aimed at degrading the Houthis’ ability to attack vital waterways, the rebel group remains undeterred. On Wednesday, the Houthis claimed to have attacked a Greek-owned bulk carrier and several other vessels in response to Israeli strikes on Gaza.
As tensions continue to escalate in the region, the international community watches closely, wary of the potential for further conflict and disruption in one of the world’s key maritime routes.