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The guided-missile destroyer USS Mason on a mission in the Gulf of Aden
Photo: Petty Officer Samantha Alaman/dpa
The Iran-backed Houthi militias have again fired several anti-ship missiles in the Red Sea, hitting a container ship.
The ship, named MSC SKY II, is owned by Switzerland, the US military's regional command announced early this morning.
It was sailing under the Liberian flag.
The impact occurred on Monday afternoon in the Gulf of Aden.
There was damage but no injuries, it said.
The ship was able to continue its journey.
Another anti-ship missile fired by the Houthis had previously fallen into the water in the southern Red Sea.
No damage or injuries on ships were reported.
On Monday evening, the US military also carried out self-defense strikes against two cruise missiles that posed an “immediate threat” to ships in the region.
The regional command wrote that the measure served “to protect freedom of navigation.”
After the start of the Gaza war, the Islamist Houthis regularly attacked ships off the Yemeni coast.
According to its own statements, the militia allied with Iran wants to force an end to the Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip.
The Israeli military operation is a response to the terrorist attack by the Islamist Hamas on October 7th.
Several Western countries, including the USA and Great Britain, are involved in operations to counter the attacks.
The EU has also launched a military mission to protect merchant shipping in the Red Sea, in which Germany is participating with the frigate “Hessen”.
The sea route through the Red Sea and the Suez Canal is one of the most important trade routes in the world.
Because of the attacks by the Houthis, large shipping companies are increasingly avoiding the shortest sea route between Asia and Europe - with significant effects on the global economy, also because of the higher costs of the detours.
svs/dpa