Yemen: a new ship attack attributed to the Houthis leaves several crew victims, a first
Three members of the crew of a merchant ship were killed yesterday Wednesday in the Gulf of Aden by a missile from Yemen, according to the US military, in what appears to be the first direct fatal attack by the Houthi rebels off the coast of Yemen.
The Philippine government said in a statement that two of its nationals were killed in the attack and two others “seriously injured”.
Aerial view of the bulk carrier True Confidence flying the flag of Barbados and controlled by Liberian interests, attacked on Wednesday March 6 by missile fire from Yemen and attributed to the Houthis.
For the first time, these shots caused casualties among the crew.
via REUTERS - DVIDS
By: RFI with AFP
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On Wednesday around 0830 GMT, an anti-ship ballistic missile was launched from Houthi-controlled territories in Yemen towards the
True Confidence
, a Barbados-flagged bulk carrier controlled by Liberian interests, the US Middle East Command explained. (Centcom) in a press release.
“
The missile hit the ship and the crew reported three deaths, at least four injuries, three of whom are in critical condition, and significant damage
,” the army added.
In a statement on social media, Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said the
True Confidence
had been hit by “
missiles
” after “
the crew rejected warning messages
.”
Earlier in the day on Wednesday, maritime security agencies reported that an attack had targeted and damaged this bulk carrier off the coast of Aden, south of Yemen, the poorest country on the Arabian Peninsula, at war for nearly a decade.
The UKMTO agency, run by the British navy, specified that the crew had to abandon the ship.
According to the UKMTO, the commercial vessel had been contacted by “
an entity posing as the Yemeni navy ordering it to change course
”.
The UKMTO reported an intervention by “
coalition forces
” with the damaged ship.
The United States set up a multinational force off the coast of Yemen in December to protect merchant ships against these attacks.
In
a
message
on
but inevitable consequence
” of the shooting carried out by the Houthis on international ships.
These Yemeni insurgents, close to Iran, have increased attacks in recent months in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, major maritime passages for world trade.
Saying they are targeting ships they consider linked to Israel or its allies, particularly American and British, they claim to be acting in support of Gaza, a Palestinian territory bombed and besieged by Israel.
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