The United States has vowed to "hold" the Houthi rebels in Yemen accountable for an attack on the cargo vessel "MV True Confidence," which resulted in the deaths of three crew members, believed to be the first casualties from Houthi attacks on ships.
Today, the U.S. Central Command announced that it struck two drones described as "unmanned aerial vehicles" in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. The command stated that the drones "posed a threat to commercial shipping and U.S. naval vessels in the region."
### Casualties from Houthi Attack
The U.S. Central Command confirmed the deaths of three crew members from the ship targeted by the Houthis near the shores of Aden, Yemen. The Central Command's statement noted that the missile struck the vessel around 11:30 AM local time in Sana'a, causing significant damage to the ship, which is reported to be owned by a Liberian entity and flies the flag of Barbados.
The statement further explained: "The missile struck the ship, and the crew reported three deaths and at least four injuries," adding that the crew abandoned the ship after it was hit while coalition vessels responded to assess the situation. This missile strike was considered the fifth launched by the Houthis in the past two days.
### U.S. Response
U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters, "We will continue to hold them accountable. We call on governments worldwide to do the same." He emphasized that the Houthi attacks on ships "not only disrupt international trade and freedom of navigation in international waters but have now cost the lives of several sailors."
When asked if the recent attack indicates a failure of U.S. and British strikes against the Houthis, Miller stated, "We have always made it clear that this will be a long-term process to deter Houthi attacks and weaken their capacity to carry them out." He noted that the U.S. encourages other countries to clarify to the Houthis that "these attacks are irresponsible."
### Airstrikes in Yemen
Following these statements, Houthi media reported that U.S. and British forces conducted airstrikes on the airport in Al Hudaydah city, the administrative center of the Houthi-controlled Al Hudaydah governorate. The British maritime security agency "Ambrey" reported damage to the bulk carrier "True Confidence," which flies the flag of Barbados.
Earlier on Wednesday, a U.S. official announced that two crew members had died following a missile strike by the Houthis on the ship off the coast of Yemen. The missile inflicted "significant damage" on the Liberian-owned vessel, with the official adding that "the crew reported at least two deaths and six injuries among the crew and abandoned the ship."
The ship's owner clarified that the vessel was struck by a missile about 50 nautical miles southwest of Aden, adding it was drifting amid an ongoing fire onboard.
### Houthi Claim of Responsibility
In contrast, the Houthi group in Yemen claimed responsibility for targeting the bulk cargo vessel "True Confidence" in the Gulf of Aden. Houthi spokesperson Yahya Sarai stated that the fire on the U.S. ship broke out following the missile strikes.
