Sanaa: Three sailors lost their lives and four others sustained injuries in a Houthi missile strike on a merchant ship in the Gulf of Aden on Wednesday (local time), as reported by Al Jazeera, citing UK and US officials. The ship reportedly caught fire as a result of the attack.
This incident marks the first casualties since the Iran-aligned Yemeni group initiated attacks against shipping in one of the world’s busiest sea lanes, a response to Israel’s military actions in Gaza. The vessel is said to be owned by Greece, and three of the injured individuals are reported to be in critical condition.
The Houthis have claimed responsibility for the attack on the Greek-owned, Barbados-flagged ship, named True Confidence, which occurred approximately 50 nautical miles (93 km) off the coast of Yemen’s port of Aden. This information has been confirmed by US officials. In response, the Indian Navy’s INS Kolkata has arrived at the scene to undertake rescue operations. The extent of additional injuries resulting from the fire remains unclear at this time.
The Houthi actions are interpreted as a gesture of solidarity with Palestine, as they continue to target ships as a means of expressing support for the ongoing conflict.
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