Houthi rebels damaged two commercial vessels in missile strikes in the Gulf of Aden within the last 24 hours as part of their ongoing campaign against international ocean shipping, according to U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM).
The Tavvishi, a Liberian-flagged and Swiss-owned container ship, was hit by an anti-ship ballistic missile, resulting in damage. However, no crew members were injured, CENTCOM reported.
Read more: Ten Hindu Pilgrims Lose Their Lives In Bus Attack In India’s Jammu
Additionally, two missiles fired by the Houthis struck the Norderney, a German-owned cargo ship flying Antigua and Barbados flags. Although the vessel sustained damage, there were no reported injuries among the crew, and the ship continued its journey.
The Houthis claimed responsibility for hitting both the Tavvishi and the Norderney, alleging they set the latter ablaze.
MSC Ship Management, the manager of the Tavvishi, and Sunship Schiffahrtskontor, the manager of the Norderney, according to LSEG data, could not be immediately reached for comment.
The Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen have seen increased military action, including the sinking of one ship, the seizure of another vessel, and the killing of three crew members in separate attacks since November. These incidents have disrupted global shipping routes, forcing vessels to circumvent the Suez Canal and reroute trade around Africa, sparking concerns of wider destabilization in the Middle East.
In response to the attacks, the United States and Britain have conducted strikes against Houthi targets. Additionally, CENTCOM reported destroying an uncrewed aerial system over the Gulf of Aden, along with two land attack cruise missiles and one missile launcher in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen.
