Houthi Offensive: New Attack Targets Israeli-Linked Ships in Bab el Mandeb
Watan-The Yemeni Houthi group announced on Monday the launch of a new military operation targeting two naval vessels associated with the Israeli occupation in the Red Sea.
According to a statement by the Houthi spokesperson Yahya Saree, published on his official “X” account and reported by (Watan), “the naval forces affiliated with the group carried out a qualitative military operation against two ships linked to the Zionist entity.”
The statement mentioned that one of the targeted ships, not specifying their nationality, is the “MSC Clara” carrying containers.
As for the other ship, it is the “Swan Atlantic,” loaded with oil. According to Saree’s claims, the targeting occurred after the crews of the two ships refused to respond to calls from the Yemeni naval forces.
بيان صادر عن القوات المسلحة اليمنية
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
قال تعالى: { فَقَـٰتِلُوۤا۟ أَئمَّةَ ٱلۡكُفۡرِ إِنَّهُمۡ لَاۤ أَیۡمَـٰنَ لَهُمۡ لَعَلَّهُمۡ یَنتَهُونَ } صدق الله العظيمانتصاراً لمظلومية الشعب الفلسطيني الذي يتعرض في هذه الأثناء للقتل والتدمير والحصار في قطاع غزة…
— العميد يحيى سريع (@army21ye) December 18, 2023
Statement from the Houthi group regarding a new military operation
The Houthi spokesperson stated that the targeting represents a “victory for the injustice suffered by the Palestinian people, who are currently facing killing, destruction, and siege in the Gaza Strip.”
He added that the targeting is “in response to the calls of the free people from the sons of our great Yemeni people and the sons of our nation.”
Regarding reports about a threat to all ships in the Red Sea, the Houthi spokesperson responded: “We reassure all ships heading to ports around the world, except Israeli ports, that they will not be harmed, and they should keep their identification devices open.”
The statement continued that the Houthi group “continues to prevent all ships heading to Israeli ports, regardless of their nationality, from navigating in the Arabian and Red Sea until the entry of what our steadfast brothers in the Gaza Strip need in terms of food and medicine.
There has been an explosion in the Red Sea
The “British Maritime Trade Operations” had previously reported an explosion in the Red Sea, two miles away from a ship sailing off the coast of Yemen.
According to Anadolu Agency, the organization received a “report of an incident in the vicinity of the Bab el Mandeb Strait, 30 nautical miles south of the Yemeni city of Al-Mukha.”
Houthi attacks on ships have been ongoing since November, with the latest being the interception of the Norwegian commercial tanker “Strenda” on December 12, 2023, and two container ships on the 15th of the same month.
