Less than a day after Yemen's Houthi rebels launched an anti-ship cruise missile against an American warship in the Red Sea, a US-owned ship was damaged by a missile fired from Yemen in the Gulf of Aden, according to authorities. The Iranian-backed Houthis came under suspicion right away, even if the rebels didn't admit to being behind the attack on the Gibraltar Eagle right away.
Amid Israel's conflict with Hamas in the Gaza Strip, it was the most recent strike rocking international trade. The Houthis have launched strikes that have the potential to escalate the battle into a regional warfare by focusing on the vital route that connects oil and freight supplies from Asia and the Middle East to the Suez Canal and ultimately to Europe.
Overseeing the seas of the Middle East, United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations said that the strike on Monday took place around 110 miles southeast of Aden. The ship's skipper reportedly stated that a missile had struck the ship's port side from above. The bulk carrier using the Marshall Islands flag, Gibraltar Eagle, was the vessel, according to private security companies Ambrey and Dryad Global, which spoke with the AP. After the strike, the Gibraltar Eagle quickly circled back to its original destination, the Suez Canal, according to AP analysis of satellite tracking data.
Upon inquiry, the US Navy's 5th Fleet, located in the Middle East, did not immediately provide a response. The Houthi rebels in Yemen have launched missiles in that region in the past, but they have not acknowledged any strike.
The US allegedly attacked a location close to Hodeida on Sunday at the same time as the cruise missile attack on the US vessel, according to claims made by the Houthis without supporting documentation. The explosion may have resulted from a Houthi missile that misfired, according to the US and the UK, who denied carrying out any strikes.
Amid Israel's conflict with Hamas in the Gaza Strip, it was the most recent strike rocking international trade. The Houthis have launched strikes that have the potential to escalate the battle into a regional warfare by focusing on the vital route that connects oil and freight supplies from Asia and the Middle East to the Suez Canal and ultimately to Europe.
Overseeing the seas of the Middle East, United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations said that the strike on Monday took place around 110 miles southeast of Aden. The ship's skipper reportedly stated that a missile had struck the ship's port side from above. The bulk carrier using the Marshall Islands flag, Gibraltar Eagle, was the vessel, according to private security companies Ambrey and Dryad Global, which spoke with the AP. After the strike, the Gibraltar Eagle quickly circled back to its original destination, the Suez Canal, according to AP analysis of satellite tracking data.
Upon inquiry, the US Navy's 5th Fleet, located in the Middle East, did not immediately provide a response. The Houthi rebels in Yemen have launched missiles in that region in the past, but they have not acknowledged any strike.
The US allegedly attacked a location close to Hodeida on Sunday at the same time as the cruise missile attack on the US vessel, according to claims made by the Houthis without supporting documentation. The explosion may have resulted from a Houthi missile that misfired, according to the US and the UK, who denied carrying out any strikes.
