China News Service, Beijing, February 21. Comprehensive news: The Houthi armed forces in Yemen issued a statement on the 20th saying that the organization launched attacks on multiple Israeli and American targets in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden that day.
Al Jazeera reported that Houthi armed spokesman Yahya Saraya said on the 20th that the organization fired several missiles at an Israeli ship named "Mediterranean Silver" sailing in the Gulf of Aden that day, and also used unmanned aerial vehicles. The planes attacked the southern Israeli Red Sea city of Eilat and multiple U.S. warships sailing in the Red Sea.
The British maritime security company Embry responded that the "Mediterranean Silver" was a container ship flying the Liberian flag, and its original destination was a port in Somalia. The operator of the ship cooperates closely with an Israeli shipping company and frequently sails to Israeli ports, which may lead the Houthis to identify it as an "Israeli ship."
The Houthi armed forces continuously attacked commercial ships sailing in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden on the 18th and 19th. The U.S. Central Command confirmed on the 20th that the Houthi armed forces launched two anti-ship ballistic missiles on the 19th at the "Sea Champion", a U.S.-owned bulk carrier flying the Greek flag and sailing to the port of Aden. One of the missiles exploded near the ship, causing minor damage.
Two U.S. officials said on the 20th that a U.S. military MQ-9 "Reaper" drone was shot down by the Houthi armed forces near Yemen on the 19th. The main purpose of this drone is to collect intelligence, and each one costs tens of millions of dollars.
The Associated Press believes that although the U.S.-led campaign against the Houthis has lasted for more than a month, recent attacks show that the organization still has the ability to launch major attacks.
The official Palestinian news agency "Wafa" reported on the 20th that the Israeli army intensively bombed multiple areas in the Gaza Strip that day, killing 103 people and injuring 142 people in the past 24 hours. Since a new round of Palestinian-Israeli conflict broke out on October 7 last year, Israel's military operations in the Gaza Strip have killed more than 29,100 people and injured more than 69,000 people.
The Associated Press reported that the United Nations Security Council voted on the 20th on a draft resolution proposed by Algeria on behalf of Arab countries calling for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza. Among the 15 members of the Security Council, 13 voted in favor, the United Kingdom abstained with 1 vote, and the United States voted against. Since the United States is a permanent member of the Security Council and has veto power, the draft resolution failed to pass. U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield said the United States understood the desire to take urgent action but believed the draft resolution would have a "negative impact" on hostage agreement negotiations.
The Times of Israel reported that the White House said on the 20th that Brett McGurk, the White House coordinator for the Middle East and North Africa, would visit Egypt and Israel this week to seek to advance the hostage agreement and prevent Israel from attacking the southern city of Rafah in the Gaza Strip. (over)