Yemen’s Houthi rebels claimed responsibility for another attack on a U.S. ship on Friday, following recent U.S. strikes against rebel targets in response to their aggression in the Red Sea region.
The Iran-backed rebels asserted that they targeted a commercial vessel, the Chem Ranger, in the Gulf of Aden, using naval missiles that purportedly resulted in direct hits. However, the U.S. military’s Central Command contradicted this claim, stating that the Houthi missiles had missed their mark, impacting the water near the ship without causing injuries or damage.
The incident adds to the ongoing tension involving Houthi attacks on vessels in the Red Sea, prompting retaliatory strikes by U.S. and British forces in Yemen.
The Chem Ranger, identified as a Marshall Island-flagged, U.S.-owned, Greek-operated tanker, was reportedly sailing from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to Kuwait.
British maritime risk management company Ambrey reported an incident involving a Marshallese chemical tanker on the same route, southeast of the Yemeni port of Aden.
The Houthi aggression in the region has led to increased military actions by the U.S. and its allies to protect shipping lanes and ensure maritime security.
