Houthis Claim US Ship Struck in Gulf of Aden Attack

Yemen’s Houthi rebels have claimed responsibility for another attack on a U.S. vessel, the Chem Ranger, early on Friday. This followed renewed U.S. airstrikes on Houthi positions in response to their hostile actions towards ships in the Red Sea region.

The Houthis, supported by Iran, asserted that they successfully hit the American commercial ship in the Gulf of Aden with several naval missiles. However, the U.S. military contradicted this claim, stating that the missiles fired by the Houthis missed the Chem Ranger.

Central Command of the U.S. military, which oversees operations in the Middle East, confirmed that the Houthis launched two anti-ship ballistic missiles at the Marshall Island-flagged, U.S.-owned, Greek-operated tanker on Thursday night. Although the missiles struck the water near the ship, there were no injuries or damage reported.

These aggressive acts by the Houthis in the Red Sea have led to U.S. and British forces conducting airstrikes in Yemen, with the U.S. announcing its most recent attack on Houthi targets on Thursday.

Marine Traffic, a specialist website, identified the Chem Ranger as a chemical tanker traveling from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to Kuwait. Ambrey, a British maritime risk management company, noted a similar incident involving a Marshallese chemical tanker on the same route, with an Indian warship responding to the event.

The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) also reported an incident in the area but did not specify the vessel involved. It confirmed that the crew and vessel were safe and proceeding to their next port.

The Houthi rebels have been targeting ships in the waters around Yemen since the outbreak of the war in Gaza on October 7, with Hamas’s attack on Israel. They state that these actions are in response to the American-British aggression against Yemen and in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.

A senior Houthi official has assured safe passage in the Red Sea for Russian and Chinese vessels, stating that the threat is only for vessels linked to Israel.

China has called for an end to the harassment of civilian vessels in the Red Sea, emphasizing the importance of maintaining global production and supply chains and the international trade order.

Russia, on the other hand, has urged the U.S. to stop its airstrikes against the Houthis to facilitate a diplomatic resolution to the situation. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov expressed that continuous bombings by the Americans and British decrease the Houthis’ willingness to engage in dialogue.

Despite these ongoing strikes, U.S. President Joe Biden acknowledged that the U.S. counterstrikes have not deterred Houthi attacks, but affirmed their continuation.

John Kirby, a spokesperson for the U.S. National Security Council, reported that U.S. forces targeted a couple of anti-ship missiles prepared for imminent launch by the Houthis into the southern Red Sea. As a result, several major shipping companies have ceased operations in the area due to Houthi attacks.

Denmark has announced its support for the coalition conducting airstrikes against the Houthis and plans to deploy a frigate to the region. Danish shipping giant Maersk, among other firms, has rerouted its ships away from the Red Sea.