Houthis target US ships and expand operations as part of attack escalations in the region
Iran-backed Houthis have increased their attacks and made several claims of targeting numerous ships in recent days, including claims, without evidence, that they were targeting Israel-linked ships.
The Houthis have increased their attacks over the last several days, saying Tuesday that they “targeted two American destroyers and two ships in the Red Sea and Indian Ocean.”Their spokesman said they used drones to target the US ships, after a month in which it appeared that Houthi attacks had leveled off or had been reduced. US Central Command said on April 29 that “between 10 a.m. and 5:20 p.m. (Sanaa time), Iranian-backed Houthi terrorists fired three anti-ship ballistic missiles (ASBM) and three UAVs from Yemen into the Red Sea towards MV Cyclades, a Malta-flagged, Greece-owned vessel. Initial reports indicate there were no injuries and the vessel continued on its way.”
The new attacks are raising eyebrows in the region. They were front page news at the pro-Iran Al-Mayadeen, which shows that Iran and its proxies view the new attacks as important moves for the Iran-backed “axis of resistance.” Tehran has been continuing to push Hamas and Hezbollah to carry out attacks on Israel. For instance, terrorists in both Lebanon and Gaza have targeted the Jewish state with rockets in recent days. The Houthis are a third front where Iran seeks to escalate attacks. The Al-Ain media in the Gulf said that “new naval attacks were carried out by Houthi militias against American cargo ships and destroyers, extending from the Red Sea to the Indian Ocean.”
The report quoted Houthi spokesperson Yahya Saree, as saying that the militias carried out a series of attacks that targeted the Israeli ship MSC Orion, the Cyclades ship, and two American destroyers.The Iranian-backed groups often claim to attack Israeli ships or Israel-linked ships without providing evidence of the connection or claim. We reported overnight at The Jerusalem Post that the Portugal-flagged MSC Orion was sailing between the ports in Sines, Portugal and Salalah, Oman and its registered owner is Zodiac Maritime, according to LSEG data.
Houthis expand operations
The report goes on to claim that the attack on the MSC Orion took place in the Indian Ocean. This is also an escalation because the Houthis have usually concentrated attacks in the Red Sea. They have also carried out attacks in the Indian Ocean, but this expands their area of operation.
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