Three Killed After Missile From Yemen Hit Bulk Carrier in Red Sea

Defense News ,Red Sea :-  In a significant escalation of tensions in the Gulf of Aden, a missile launched by Yemen's Houthi rebels struck a bulk carrier, resulting in three fatalities and at least four injuries, as reported by the US military on Wednesday. The Houthi rebels, backed by Iran, have been consistently targeting merchant vessels navigating the crucial Red Sea trade route. This latest incident marks the first instance of casualties arising from such attacks, prompting heightened concerns about the safety of international shipping in the region.

The Barbados-flagged, Liberian-owned M/V True Confidence bore the brunt of an anti-ship ballistic missile, leaving the crew with three casualties, including at least four wounded individuals, three of whom are in critical condition. The US Central Command (CENTCOM) revealed that the crew abandoned the ship, and coalition warships are currently assessing the extent of the damage. Notably, this event marked the fifth occasion in two days that the Houthis had launched anti-ship ballistic missiles, leading CENTCOM to condemn these "reckless attacks" for disrupting global trade and claiming the lives of international seafarers.

Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree took to social media, asserting that the True Confidence was targeted with multiple missiles after the ship's crew rejected warning messages from the rebels. In response to the escalating threat, CENTCOM announced that it had conducted strikes against two unmanned aerial vehicles in a Houthi-controlled area of Yemen, citing an imminent threat to merchant vessels and US Navy ships. These actions, according to CENTCOM, aim to safeguard freedom of navigation and enhance the security of international waters.

Despite repeated strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen by the United States and Britain since January, the rebels have persisted in targeting merchant vessels. The British embassy in Sanaa confirmed a death toll of at least two on board the True Confidence and labeled it as "the sad but inevitable consequence of the Houthis recklessly firing missiles at international shipping." British Foreign Secretary David Cameron expressed a commitment to uphold freedom of navigation, pledging to support words with actions.

The Houthi rebels initiated their ship-targeting campaign in the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea in November, citing solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. Their threats extend to Israeli, British, and American ships, as well as vessels heading to Israeli ports, causing disruptions in the vital trade route off Yemen's shores. The recent incident follows the sinking of the Belize-flagged, Lebanese-operated ship, the Rubymar, on Saturday, which had been hit by a Houthi missile on February 18. The ship, carrying 21,000 metric tons of ammonium phosphate sulfate fertilizer, experienced hull damage, leading to its evacuation to Djibouti.

The surge in Houthi strikes has prompted major shipping firms to suspend passage through the Red Sea, which typically handles approximately 12 percent of global trade. The implications of these attacks on maritime security, international trade, and regional stability are now under intense scrutiny as the global community grapples with finding effective solutions to mitigate the growing threats posed by the Houthi rebels in the Gulf of Aden.