Yemen's Houthis claim fresh missile attacks on Israel-bound US ship in southern Red Sea

SANAA -- Yemen's Houthi group said they launched missile attacks Monday on a US commercial ship in southern Red Sea, saying the hit was accurate.

"Our naval forces targeted the American ship, Star Iris, in the Red Sea with a number of suitable naval missiles, and the hit was accurate," Yahya Sarea, Houthi military spokesman, said in a statement aired by Houthi-run al-Masirah satellite TV channel.

"Our Armed Forces will continue to implement the decision to prevent all Israel-linked ships or those heading to Israeli ports unless Israeli aggression on the Palestinian enclave of the Gaza Strip stops," he said.

"Our forces will not hesitate to carry out more attacks in response to the Zionist crimes in Gaza, as well as in response to the American-British aggression against our country (Yemen)," the Houthi military spokesman added.

Earlier in the day, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency (UKMTO) reported on X platform that it received a report of incident about 40 nautical mile (around 74 km) south of the Yemeni port of al-Mukha.

"Master said his vessel was attacked by two missiles," the UKMTO said, adding that there were no casualties and the vessel continued sailing.

This is the latest in a series of attacks against commercial ships in the Red Sea claimed by the Houthis since mid-November last year, in what they said in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.

The Israel-Hamas conflict broke out on Oct 7, 2023, triggering Houthi attacks against Israel-bound ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.