U.S. Container Ship Hit by Houthi Missile Near Yemen, Continues Journey Amid Rising Red Sea Tensions
The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) reported on Monday that a U.S.-owned container ship, the M/V Gibraltar Eagle, was struck by a missile near Aden in Yemen. The missile, launched by the Iran-backed Houthi rebels, hit the vessel, which flies under the flag of the Marshall Islands, at approximately 4 PM Sanaa time.
The M/V Gibraltar Eagle, a Marshall Islands-flagged, U.S.-owned and operated container ship, has been hit by an Anti-Ship Ballistic Missile launched by AnsarAllah Houthi-Source: X
Despite the attack, the ship reported no significant damages or casualties and is continuing its voyage. Earlier that day, U.S. forces observed another missile aimed at commercial maritime routes in the Red Sea’s southern part, which failed and fell in Yemen, causing no reported harm.
On Jan. 15 at approximately 4 p.m. (Sanaa time), Iranian-backed Houthi militants fired an anti-ship ballistic missile from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen and struck the M/V Gibraltar Eagle, a Marshall Islands-flagged, U.S.-owned and operated container ship. The ship has… pic.twitter.com/gixEMaUiVT
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) January 15, 2024
These incidents coincide with the Houthis’ confirmation of ongoing attacks on ships bound for Israel. Mohammed Abdul Salam, the Houthi’s chief negotiator, stated that their stance remains unchanged following U.S.-led strikes, vowing to continue targeting ships headed to Israel.
BREAKING – GLOBAL WAR: US Cargo Ship Hit by Missile off Yemeni Coast. WATCHpic.twitter.com/Yjd9E9m188
— Simon Ateba (@simonateba) January 15, 2024
The past week saw U.S. and British aircraft, ships, and submarines launch multiple airstrikes across various Yemen locations. These were in response to Houthi attacks on Red Sea ships, which the group claims were a retaliation for an Israeli attack on Gaza.
Abdul Salam also communicated the group’s demands for an end to the “criminal aggression” in Gaza and the allowance of humanitarian aid into the region. He emphasized their wish to avoid escalation but criticized the militarization of the Red Sea by American and British forces.
While denying any connection to the attacked vessels, Israel has observed several international shipping lines suspending or rerouting their Red Sea passages, opting for longer and costlier alternatives.
In a separate incident, the U.S. military reported that a U.S. fighter jet downed a Houthi-launched anti-ship cruise missile targeting the American ship Laboon in the Red Sea’s south, causing no damage or casualties.
The Houthi terrorist militia bombed populated residential areas in Al-Dhalea Governorate, southern Yemen, with a ballistic missile. Eyewitnesses from the area said that the attack did not result in any casualties. pic.twitter.com/nl7cdcIjcy
— فهد الجعبي الضالعي🇬🇧 (@fahd_daliy) January 15, 2024
The Houthi movement has controlled significant areas of Yemen for nearly a decade, opposing a Saudi-led coalition supported by the U.S. The UN Security Council recently demanded an immediate cessation of Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping, implicitly supporting a U.S.-led task force to protect maritime vessels and warning of escalating regional tensions.
