(Dubai) A sailor was seriously injured Thursday in two missile attacks carried out by Yemeni Houthi rebels supported by Iran in the Gulf of Aden, the US military announced.
Since last November, the Houthis have targeted vessels in the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea in a sign of solidarity, they say, with the Palestinians in Gaza. These attacks severely disrupt maritime trade, but casualties are rare.
Following the missile strikes, the Palau-flagged merchant vessel Verbena reported “damage and fire on board. The crew continues to fight the flames. One Marine was seriously injured during the attack,” the U.S. Middle East Command (Centcom) said in a statement.
The injured man was evacuated by American forces on another boat to receive treatment, Centcom added.
“This reckless behavior of the Houthis, supported by Iran, threatens regional stability and endangers the lives of sailors in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden,” the text adds.
The Houthis claimed Thursday that they had attacked three ships in the past 24 hours, including the Verbena, “in retaliation for the crimes committed against our people in the Gaza Strip and in response to the US-British aggression against our country.” .
The British maritime safety agency UKMTO also reported an explosion, causing no casualties or damage, near another merchant ship in the Red Sea, about 80 nautical miles (148 kilometers) northwest of Hodeidah, Yemeni city held by the Houthi rebels, who control a large part of Yemen.
