The Islamist Houthi militia in Yemen has been firing on merchant ships in the Red Sea for months. For the first time, people were killed.
According to the US military, three people were killed in an attack on the freighter “True Confidence” off the coast of Yemen on Wednesday. “The multinational crew reports three fatalities,” said the US military’s regional command. There are also at least four people injured, three of whom are in critical condition.
Two Filipino sailors were among the dead, US broadcaster CNN reported, citing the Philippine Ministry for Guest Workers. At least two other nationals were injured, it said. The crew was taken to a safe port.
Houthi militia claims attack
Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi militia claimed responsibility for the attack. According to media reports, it is the first time that crew members of a merchant ship have been killed in a Houthi attack.
According to the White House, the “True Confidence” flies the flag of Barbados and is owned by Liberians. The merchant ship was hit and damaged by a missile about 50 nautical miles southwest of the port city of Aden on Wednesday morning, according to the British Navy’s Office responsible for merchant shipping safety (UKMTO). The crew left the ship.
A spokesman for the Houthi militia said on X (formerly Twitter) that the US is responsible “for everything that happens in the Red Sea.” He emphasized that the Houthis do not attack any ship without prior warning. “There are those who comply and withdraw, and those who refuse, after which we target them,” he said. According to the speaker, the war in Gaza is primarily of an “American nature.” Israel is therefore only an “instrument of the executive”.
Civilian merchant ships are repeatedly attacked
In recent months, the Islamist Houthi militia in Yemen has repeatedly targeted civilian merchant ships. The Houthis say they are acting in solidarity with the Islamist Hamas in the Gaza Strip and are directing their attacks on freighters with alleged connections to Israel, the USA or Great Britain. They had recently announced that they would intensify their attacks.
One of the most important shipping routes for world trade runs along Yemen, through which freighters from the Indian Ocean reach the Mediterranean via the Suez Canal in Egypt.
The USA and Great Britain had carried out military strikes against Houthi positions in Yemen several times in response to the attacks. The EU has also launched a military operation to protect merchant shipping in the Red Sea, in which Germany is participating with the frigate “Hessen”.
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
