Yemen's Houthi rebels strike American ship in 29th missile attack in Gulf of Aden
1:04 PM EST, January 15, 2024
The American container ship M/V Gibraltar Eagle, sailing under the Marshall Islands' flag, was struck by a ballistic missile launched by Yemen's Houthi rebels. This incident happened in the Gulf of Aden.
Houthi attack: Another ship hit by rocket
The Central Command (CENTCOM) informed the public about the incident via platform X. According to their report, the Houthi rebels fired, within a span of two hours, at least two ballistic missiles aimed at the ships. The first one, due to a malfunction, landed on Yemeni territory. The second one struck the container ship M/V Gibraltar Eagle, which was sailing through the waters of the Gulf of Aden, heading towards the Red Sea at the time.
The Command's press release reads: "the ship reported no significant damages and continues on its journey".
The British Maritime Trade Organisation (UKMTO) has confirmed the missile attack on the ship in the Gulf of Aden, off Yemen's coast.
Rocket hit the port side
The Associated Press agency reports that the attacked ship has no ties with Israel. At the time of the attack, it was approximately 112 miles southeast of Aden. The ship's captain reported that the rocket hit the port side, but the ship remains seaworthy and continues its journey to its destination.
This attack is the latest in a series of attacks executed by Yemen's Houthi rebels that began back in November. Although, the rebels have frequently attacked ships in the Red Sea, claiming to support Hamas's terrorist actions and their fight against Israel in the Gaza Strip, it has often been determined that the attacked vessels have no ties with Israel. American and British forces have been reacting to these attacks since last Friday, conducting operations against Houthi targets in Yemen.
The Houthi rebels, backed by Iran, are involved in Yemen's ongoing civil war and currently control the country's northwestern region.
This marks the 29th attack by Houthi rebels on ships in this region. It is also the second such incident since the United States and United Kingdom carried out strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen.
