SANA, Yemen: Yemen’s Houthi have claimed responsibility for attacking a merchant ship, the Liberia-flagged Groton, in the Gulf of Aden.
Houthi spokesperson Yahya Saree announced the attack in a televised statement, claiming it was the second time the ship had been targeted, following a similar incident on August 3.
Houthi stated that these attacks are part of their campaign against international shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, in solidarity with Palestinians amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza.
The Joint Maritime Information Centre (JMIC), which is managed by a Western naval coalition, confirmed that the Groton was targeted by two ballistic missiles when it was 130 nautical miles east of Aden. Despite the attack, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency reported that all crew members were safe, and the ship continued its journey to its next destination.
The Houthi attacks have significantly disrupted maritime traffic in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, a critical route for global trade. Meanwhile, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) reported that US forces recently destroyed a Houthi drone and an uncrewed surface vessel in rebel-controlled areas of Yemen, which they identified as posing a threat to US and coalition forces in the region.
