A Marshall Islands-flagged US cargo ship was hit by a missile in the Red Sea off the coast of Aden, Yemen. A fire broke out on the ship after the attack.
CENTCOM made a statement on X social media account regarding the attack.
“At approximately 16:00 Sana’a time, Iran-backed Houthi militants fired an anti-ballistic missile from the area they control in Yemen. The missile hit the Marshall Islands flagged, US-owned and US-operated container ship ‘Gibraltar Eagle’.”
It was stated in the statement that no one was injured and the ship did not suffer significant damage, and it was noted that the ship continued its course.
Earlier in the day, US forces detected the launch of a ballistic missile into the Red Sea, which failed and hit land in Yemen, with no injuries or damage reported, the statement said.
Situation in the Red Sea
Since October 31, the Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen have begun seizing commercial vessels they say are linked to Israeli companies off the coast of Yemen and attacking some of them with drones and missiles in response to Israel’s attacks in Gaza.
US forces have repeatedly reported shooting down missiles and kamikaze drones fired from Yemen.
In the wake of the Houthi actions, many shipping companies have decided to suspend their voyages in the Red Sea.
On December 18, the United States announced the formation of a multinational “maritime task force” called “Operation Welfare Guardian” against Houthi forces with the participation of a group of countries on the grounds that the security of global maritime trade was endangered.
On December 31, US helicopters fired on three Houthi speedboats in the Red Sea as they tried to seize an Israeli-bound ship.
On January 10, the Houthis announced that a US ship was targeted with missiles and kamikaze drones in the Red Sea for supporting Israel.
On January 11, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) adopted a resolution submitted by the United States and Japan demanding an immediate end to Houthi attacks in the Red Sea.
About 12 percent of global trade is carried out through the Suez Canal, which connects the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea, making it the shortest route between Europe and Asia.
The opinions expressed herein are the author’s and not necessarily those of News2Sea.