- author, George Wright
- Role, BBC News
The US military said that a sailor was seriously injured after a cargo ship in the Gulf of Aden was hit by two cruise missiles fired by the Houthis in Yemen.
The injured sailor was airlifted to another ship for medical treatment, US Central Command (CentCom) said.
She added that the crew members were battling a fire on board the MV Verbena, a Palau-flagged ship owned by Ukraine and operated by Poland.
The sailor’s nationality was not revealed.
The Houthis said they carried out attacks on three ships during the past 24 hours, including the MV Verbena, “in retaliation for the crimes committed against our people in the Gaza Strip, and in response to the American-British aggression against our country.” “.
The Houthi armed group considers itself part of the “axis of resistance” led by Iran against Israel, the United States, and the West more broadly.
Since November, the rebel group has launched attacks on ships it says are linked to Israel in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, saying its actions support Palestinians in Gaza.
In response, the United States and the United Kingdom carried out a series of attacks on Houthi targets inside Yemen, prompting the Houthis to retaliate against ships they believe are linked to those countries.
“The Houthis claim to be acting on behalf of the Palestinians in Gaza, yet they target and threaten the lives of third-country nationals who have no connection to the conflict in Gaza,” Central Command said.
Rebel attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea prompted many shipping companies to stop using the waterway, through which about 12% of global seaborne trade passes.
On Wednesday, the Houthis targeted a Liberian-flagged ship called Tutor using a maritime drone in the Red Sea. No injuries were reported.
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