By Deutsche Welle
Feb 13, 2024, 10:41 AM EST
The US Army reported on Monday (02/12/2024) that Pro-Iran Houthi rebels fired missiles at a cargo ship off the coast of Yemen, which caused slight damage to the ship that continued to its destination port, in Iran.
“On February 12, from 3:30 to 3:45 am (Sanaa time), Iran-backed Houthi militants fired two missiles from areas under its control in Yemen towards the Bab al-Mandeb (strait),” said the US Central Command in the region (Centcom) on the X social network.
Security company Ambrey said the ship was a Greek bulk carrier flying the Marshall Islands flag that “was attacked by missiles in two separate incidents” within a 20-minute period.
“He was allegedly hit and suffered physical damage to the starboard side.“Ambrey said, adding that a private armed security team was on board.
Centcom stated that the ship, the MV Star Iris, was “transiting the Red Sea with a cargo of corn from Brazil” and reported “to be seaworthy and with no injuries to the crew.” The destination of the MV Star Iris was Bandar Imam Khomeini, in Iran, she added.
The rebel group – along with other Islamist groups that receive support from Iran – is part of what Tehran calls an anti-Western and anti-Israeli “axis of resistance.”
Since November, the Houthis have launched attacks on ships who sail in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, and which he considers linked to Israel, in “solidarity” with the Palestinians in Gaza.
Keep reading:
– The United States carried out retaliatory attacks in Iraq and Syria against Iranian militias
– The United States destroys two Houthi missiles in Yemen
– The US repels a new attack by the Houthis against one of its ships in the Gulf of Aden