Ship hit in suspected Houthi attack

A ship was hit by a missile in a suspected Houthi attack in the Gulf of Aden today, authorities have said.

The ship was en route from Malaysia to Venice and caught fire, according to the British military’s UK Maritime Trade Operations.

The Houthis did not immediately acknowledge the attack, but it typically takes the rebels hours or even days to claim them.

The attack follows the Houthis launching a boat-borne bomb attack against a commercial ship in the Red Sea yesterday.

Who are the Houthis?

The Houthis are part of an Iran-aligned regional alliance, which also includes Hamas and Lebanon’s Hezbollah.

The group governs swathes of Yemen, including the capital Sanaa, more than 1,000 miles from Israel.

It has blamed Israel for instability in the Middle East, saying the “circle of conflict” in the region was driven by its “continued crimes”.

The Yemen-based, Iran-backed Houthis say they are targeting any and all ships they believe are linked, operated, owned, flagged or travelling to or from Israel.

US and British destroyers are among an international naval taskforce set up to combat the Houthi attacks in the area.

Source » sky.com