The Houthi insurgency in Yemen has claimed responsibility for attacks on three ships in the Red Sea and the Mediterranean Sea, targeting two Israeli vessels and one belonging to a Greek company. These attacks have not yet been independently verified.
According to a spokesperson for the Houthi military, Yahya Sarea, these attacks are part of their campaign against international cargo ships bound for Israel, in support of the Palestinians in the Gaza war.
The first operation targeted the Israeli ship ‘Alexandria’ with ballistic missiles. In a second operation, a drone and several missiles were reportedly used to hit the Greek ship ‘Yannis’ while sailing through the Red Sea. The Houthi spokesperson also announced a third operation against an Israeli ship, the ‘Essex’, in the Mediterranean Sea.
The Eastern Mediterranean Maritime company, which is accused by the Houthis of docking cargo ships in “occupied Palestinian territory,” owned one of the ships that was targeted. However, maritime security firm Ambrey has only confirmed an attack on an Israeli ship flying the Liberian flag in the Mediterranean. According to Ambrey, this ship had not stopped at any Israeli ports recently, so it did not hit any cargo ship according to their understanding.
