Yemen's Houthi group strikes Liberian vessels in Red sea

WASHINGTON: In attacks from Yemen's Houthi group, two Liberian vessels were hit by missiles in the Red Sea corridor, US Central Command said on Saturday.

A ballistic missile fired by Yemen's Houthi rebels slammed into a cargo ship on Friday in the Red Sea near the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait, following another attack only hours earlier that struck a separate vessel.

Earlier, the Houthi group issued a warning at 0700, December 15 (Sanaa time). The group contacted the Motor Vessel MSC ALANYA, a Liberian-flagged vessel that was travelling north in the southern part of the Red Sea and threatened to attack it.

The Houthis directed the vessel to turn around and proceed south but after the US forces intervention and direct communications with the vessel, the ALANYA continued north and is believed to be safe, said the US command on X.

After that, an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), launched from Houthi rebels, hit a Liberian-flagged motor vessel, AL JASRAH which was travelling south in the Red Sea and caught fire.

"At approximately 0900, Dec. 15 (Sanaa time), a UAV launched from Houthi held territory struck the Liberian flagged Motor Vessel AL JASRAH as it was travelling south in the Red Sea. The AL JASRAH immediately broadcast a mayday signal that said the crew was fighting a fire caused by the attack," said US central command on X.

The post read further, "The fire has since been extinguished and the crew has since determined that no further assistance is needed. Then, at approximately 1300, Dec. 15 (Sanaa time), Houthi forces launched two ballistic missiles towards the international shipping lanes in the Bab el-Mandeb strait. One of these missiles struck the Liberian flagged MV PALATIUM 3, which broadcast a mayday call and reported that the vessel was on fire."

Later, at the request of the Liberian vessel, the US destroyer USS MASON responded to the situation. While the second missile missed other ships, no injuries have been reported from any of the ships attacked by the group.

Early this month, Yemen's Iranian-backed Houthi rebels announced that they would target any Israel-bound ship in the Red Sea, regardless of the vessel's ownership.

In a rambling thread posted on X, formerly called Twitter, Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, leader of the Houthi rebels wrote, "The Yemeni Armed Forces announce that they will prevent the passage of ships heading to the Zionist entity of any nationality if they do not enter the Gaza Strip where they need food and medicine, and it will become a legitimate target for our armed forces."

From bases along the Yemeni coast, Houthi rebels are able to threaten shipping in the Red Sea as they traverse the Bab el-Mandeb Straits, a narrow maritime chokepoint between the Arabian Peninsula and Africa. The majority of the world's oil passes through the strait from the Indian Ocean towards the Suez Canal and the Mediterranean Sea.

Since November 9, the Houthis have launched ballistic missiles and aerial drones at Israel. All were intercepted by Israeli or American air defence systems or fell short of their targets.