DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — An attack by Yemen’s Houthi rebels targeted a commercial ship traveling through the Gulf of Aden but apparently caused no damage, authorities said Saturday, in the latest strike on the shipping lane by the group.
The Houthi attack comes after the sinking this week of the ship Tutor, which marked what appears to be a new escalation by the Iranian-backed Houthis in their campaign of strikes on ships in the vital maritime corridor over the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip.
Meanwhile, U.S. officials reportedly ordered the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, the aircraft carrier leading America’s response to the Houthi attacks, to return home after a twice-extended tour.
The captain of the ship targeted late Friday saw “explosions in the vicinity of the vessel,” the British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said. A later briefing by the U.S.-overseen Joint Maritime Information Center said the vessel initially reported two explosions off its port side and a third one later.
“The vessel was not hit and sustained no damage,” the center said. “The vessel and crew are reported to be safe and are proceeding to their next port of call.”
The Houthis, who have held Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, since 2014, claimed the attack Saturday night. Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree, a Houthi military spokesman, identified the vessel targeted as the bulk carrier Transworld Navigator.
The Houthis have launched more than 60 attacks targeting specific vessels and fired off other missiles and drones in their campaign that has killed a total of four sailors. They have seized one vessel and sunk two since November. A U.S.-led airstrike campaign has targeted the Houthis since January, with a series of strikes May 30 killing at least 16 people and wounding 42 others, the rebels say.
In March, the Belize-flagged Rubymar carrying fertilizer became the first to sink in the Red Sea after taking on water for days following a rebel attack.
The Houthis have maintained that their attacks target ships linked to Israel, the United States or Britain. However, many of the ships attacked have little or no connection to the Israel-Hamas war.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Naval Institute’s news service reported, citing an anonymous official, that the Eisenhower would be returning home to Norfolk, Virginia, after an over eight-month deployment in combat that the Navy says is its most intense since World War II. The report said an aircraft carrier operating in the Pacific would be taking the Eisenhower’s place.
The closest American aircraft carrier known to be operating in Asia is the USS Theodore Roosevelt. The Roosevelt anchored Saturday in Busan, South Korea, amid Seoul’s ongoing tensions with North Korea.
The Eisenhower had repeatedly been targeted by false attack claims by the Houthis during its time in the Red Sea. Saree on Saturday night claimed another attack on the carrier — but again provided no evidence to support it as the carrier was reportedly already scheduled to leave the region.
The ongoing conflict in Yemen has once again escalated as Houthi rebels launched an attack on a ship in the Gulf of Aden. The incident comes as the USS Eisenhower, a United States aircraft carrier, prepares to depart the region.
The attack on the ship, which has not been identified, is just the latest in a series of aggressive actions by the Houthi rebels in Yemen. The rebels, who are aligned with Iran, have been fighting against the internationally recognized government of Yemen for years. The conflict has resulted in a humanitarian crisis in the country, with millions of people facing food insecurity and lack of access to basic services.
The USS Eisenhower’s presence in the region is seen as a show of force by the United States to deter further aggression by the Houthi rebels. The aircraft carrier is part of a larger naval task force that includes destroyers and other support vessels. The task force is responsible for ensuring freedom of navigation in the region and supporting allies in the fight against terrorism.
The attack on the ship in the Gulf of Aden highlights the volatile nature of the situation in Yemen and the broader Middle East region. The United States has condemned the attack and called for an immediate cessation of hostilities. The USS Eisenhower is prepared to respond to any further provocations by the Houthi rebels and will work with regional partners to maintain stability in the region.
The international community has called for a peaceful resolution to the conflict in Yemen, but efforts to negotiate a ceasefire have so far been unsuccessful. The ongoing violence has had a devastating impact on the civilian population, with thousands of people killed and millions displaced from their homes.
As the USS Eisenhower prepares to depart the region, it remains to be seen how the situation in Yemen will unfold. The United States and its allies are committed to supporting the legitimate government of Yemen and ensuring that the Houthi rebels are held accountable for their actions. Only through a concerted effort by all parties involved can a lasting peace be achieved in Yemen and the wider Middle East region.
