2024-01-15 17:10:07
Yemen’s Houthi rebels have apparently attacked a container ship in the Red Sea again. The US military’s regional command said on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday afternoon that the rebels had fired an anti-ship ballistic missile at the M/V Gibraltar Eagle. It was therefore shot down from Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen. The US freighter sails under the flag of the Marshall Islands. There were no injuries or damage.
In the early afternoon, the US military said it had already registered an attempted attack in the Red Sea. A missile was fired at shipping routes in the southern Red Sea. However, the rocket hit land in Yemen.
The Iran-backed Houthis did not immediately comment. A spokesman told the German Press Agency that they would continue to attack ships in the Red Sea that were heading towards Israel or whose countries of origin supported Israel.
Since the Gaza war broke out between Israel and the Islamist Hamas, the Houthi rebels have repeatedly attacked ships with alleged Israeli connections in the Red Sea. Large shipping companies are increasingly avoiding the route. Because of the Houthis’ actions, the USA and Great Britain recently attacked the group’s positions in Yemen, supported by the Netherlands, Canada, Australia and Bahrain.
In this context, Great Britain’s Prime Minister Rishi Sunak justified the air strikes against Houthi rebels in Yemen and threatened new actions if ships continued to be attacked in the Red Sea. “The threat to shipping must stop,” Sunak said in Parliament in London on Monday. “Illegally detained ships and crews must be released. And we remain prepared to put our words into action.”
Sunak spoke of self-defense. The attacks were limited and no civilian casualties were reported. “I can report to Parliament today that our initial assessment is that all 13 planned targets have been destroyed,” Sunak said.
Asked about the new attack, Sunak said he would not speculate about further military action. However, Great Britain will not hesitate to defend its security and interests. An attempt was made to resolve the conflict through diplomacy, but the Houthis continued on their ruthless path. Sunak defended himself against criticism that he did not consult Parliament fully before the air strikes. This was not possible for security reasons, he said.
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