Yemen's Houthis claim missile attacks on US, British ships

Yemen's armed Houthi group on Tuesday claimed responsibility for launching attacks against US and British vessels in the Red Sea.

"We carried out two military operations in the Red Sea, the first targeting an American ship (Star Nasia) and the other targeting a British vessel (Morning Tide). Both ships were targeted with appropriate naval missiles, and the hits were accurate and direct," Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea said in a statement broadcast by the group's Al-Masirah TV.

"We will carry out more attacks against all hostile American and British targets in the Red and Arabian Sea," he said, claiming their attacks came in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.

Hours earlier, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Organization said it received a report of a projectile attack targeting a British vessel off Yemen's Houthi-held Hodeidah port city.

The attack incurred slight damage to the vessel's bridge windows, it said, adding that the vessel continues sailing.

In the meantime, the US Central Command said on Monday afternoon its forces conducted a strike in self-defense against two Houthi explosive uncrewed surface vehicles.

It said that its forces identified the explosive USVs in the Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen and determined they presented an imminent threat to US Navy ships and merchant vessels in the region.

The US Central Command also said its forces conducted a strike in self-defense on Sunday against four Houthi land-attack cruise missiles after the Houthis prepared them to launch against ships in the Red Sea.

The Houthis have escalated their drone and missile attacks against US and British navy ships and commercial vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden since mid-November 2023.

In response, the United States and Britain launched dozens of retaliatory airstrikes on Houthi targets in an attempt to deter the group from attacking the shipping vessels in the international waters.

The Houthis said the airstrikes would not stop them, vowing to launch more attacks.