The military spokesman for the Iran-aligned Houthi group in Yemen stated today, Wednesday, in a statement broadcasted by Al-Masirah TV, that the group plans to continue targeting American and British warships in the Red Sea in self-defense. The statement added that the Houthis launched missiles at the U.S. warship Grizzly. The U.S. Central Command reported on Tuesday evening that it intercepted an anti-ship cruise missile launched from Yemen towards the Red Sea, without reporting any damage.
The Houthis, who control the most densely populated areas of Yemen, attack ships in the Red Sea and surrounding waters in solidarity with the Palestinians in the Gaza War. The United States and Britain have conducted airstrikes on Houthi targets in Yemen, returning the group to the list of "terrorist organizations." On Tuesday evening, U.S. Central Command noted that it intercepted a cruise missile launched from Yemen towards the Red Sea, without reporting any damage. The Houthi attacks primarily target container ships, while numerous fuel tankers continue to use the route. Some shipping companies have suspended transit operations in the Red Sea, opting for much longer and costlier routes around Africa to avoid attacks. The Houthis state that they will continue their military operations until a cease-fire is agreed upon in Gaza and food and medicine are allowed into the sector to alleviate the severe humanitarian crisis there.
