Houthis take credit for attacks on three ships, one in the Mediterranean

Yemen’s Houthi rebels have claimed responsibility for attacking three ships in the Red Sea, Mediterranean Sea, and Arabian Sea, as part of a campaign in solidarity with Palestinians in the Gaza war. However, the manager of the ship reportedly attacked in the Mediterranean denied any signs of the incident taking place. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea announced the attacks on the Yannis, Essex, and MSC Alexandra in a televised address without providing specific details on when they occurred. The US Central Command confirmed that two anti-ship missiles were fired by the Houthis into the Red Sea on May 23, with no injuries or damages reported.

The Liberian-flagged LPG tanker Essex, managed by Zodiac Maritime controlled by Israeli magnate Eyal Ofer, was anchored off the coast of Alexandria in Egyptian waters with no signs of unusual activity. British maritime security company Ambrey confirmed the ship’s location between Alexandria and Port Said and noted that it had not visited any Israeli ports recently. The Houthis have been targeting ships in key shipping lanes since November in a show of support for Palestinians, causing concerns about the potential spread of conflict in the Middle East.

The attacks by the Iran-aligned Houthi rebels have prompted shipping companies to reroute cargo to avoid the region, leading to increased costs and longer travel routes. Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi had previously warned of attacking all ships headed to Israeli ports, not limited to those in the Red Sea region. The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, supported by the Houthis, has raised fears of further destabilization in the already volatile Middle East region.

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