On Monday, Houthi militants launched an anti-ship missile from Yemen into the Red Sea that struck Marshall Islands-flagged cargo vessel Gibraltar Eagle owned by a Connecticut company, according to US Central Command.
A Malta-flagged vessel, the Zografia, was also hit and sustained only minor damage according to satellite-tracking data; it continued its voyage without incident.
Vessel Damaged
US Navy ships suffering severe damage aren’t known for making a full recovery; but as James Lawrence advised Oliver Hazard Perry during the last battle of USS Chesapeake in 1813: “Don’t give up your ship.”
Houthi anti-ship missiles struck a Marshall Islands-flagged container ship sailing through Yemeni waters on Monday, according to Central Command. No injuries or significant damages were reported from this incident and it continued its journey, according to CENTCOM.
The attack marked the first on a US-flagged vessel since US and its allies began striking against Houthis last week, raising concerns over global commerce as well as potential conflict in the region.
Houthi rebels subsequently threatened all US and UK flag vessels – such as cargo ships carrying oil – carrying oil or other forms of fuel; this threat came shortly after the United States, Britain and their allies announced they had targeted 28 separate Houthi sites with airstrikes.
Houthis Claim Victory
Houthi militia leaders who control much of Yemen claim that a US vessel was hit from above by missiles launched from their fleet, according to Yahya Saree from Houthi movement’s naval forces in Gulf of Aden targeting operations with multiple suitable naval missiles.
The UK monitoring center that reported this incident identified the target as Dryad Global’s Gibraltar Eagle ship, owned by Marshall Islands-flagged shipping firm Dryad Global and registered under Marshall Islands law. Crew observed two missile strikes hit their ship without causing injuries or significant damages reported by crewmembers on board, according to their report from Dryad Global’s crew.
The attack comes less than 24 hours after Houthis rebels launched a missile at an American warship in the Red Sea, sending shockwaves through global shipping companies like Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd into halt their journeys through Bab el-Mandeb strait. Additionally, Iran became more engaged in this conflict, increasing risks of full-scale regional war in the Middle East.
U.S. Military Says Attack Was a False Flag
False flag attacks are military actions planned and then carried out by one nation and blamed on another to justify war. Historians have provided one instance as evidence: in 1962, when the US attempted to murder Fidel Castro of Cuba by staging an operation and then blame it on communist plot. Unfortunately, this plan was foiled before its execution could occur.
Houthi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree confirmed via recorded message that their forces struck an American-flagged merchant ship known as KOI with several naval missiles, later confirmed by private security firms Ambrey and Dryad Global and UK Maritime Trade Operations which monitor Middle East shipping lanes.
Satellite tracking data analyzed by The Associated Press indicates the MSC Palatium turned around after being hit, suggesting it sustained no damage from the missile strike. The incident will fuel worries that US and UK strikes against Houthi missile sites in Yemen haven’t diminished their capacity to threaten commercial shipping.
U.S. Military Says It Shot Down the Missile
The Pentagon reported that USS Carney stationed in the northern Red Sea shot down three cruise missiles and drones launched from Houthi territory, in what it described as one of the “most significant” raids by Houthis since November 19.
Central Command did not disclose what exactly had been destroyed, though images released by the Pentagon indicated missile parts that appeared similar to rocket motors or other components previously seized by Yemenis. While neither Central Command nor the Pentagon identified who authorized Carney’s action in Yemen, a military official acknowledged it was the first action taken by any Navy warship.
On Monday morning, Houthi rebels fired an anti-ship ballistic missile at the Marshall Islands-flagged, US cargo ship Gibraltar Eagle in response to Israel and Palestinian claims of war crimes against them. Houthi movement spokesperson Yahya Sarea threatened further attacks against American and British vessels and promised that any further attempts at any violence against their target ships will be punished by them.
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