Yemen’s Houthi rebels launched attacks on several vessels in the Red Sea, including against an Israel-owned ship, US Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed on Monday.
In a statement, CENTCOM said that the Iranian-backed rebels launched multiple attacks against MT Bentley I, a Panama-flagged, Israel-owned, Monaco-operated tanker vessel in the Red Sea which was carrying vegetable oil from Russia to China.
“Iranian-backed Houthis used three surface vessels in this attack, one uncrewed surface vessel (USV) and two small boats. No damage or injuries have been reported at this time,” the statement said.
Later, it added, Iranian-backed Houthis launched an anti-ship ballistic missile (ASBM) from a Houthi-controlled area of Yemen, over the Red Sea toward MT Bentley I. No damage or injuries have been reported at this time.
Separately, the Houthis attacked MT Chios Lion, a Liberian-flagged, Marshall Islands-owned, Greek-operated crude oil tanker with a USV in the Red Sea. The USV caused damage, but MT Chios Lion has not requested assistance. No injuries have been reported at this time, said CENTCOM.
The statement also said that in the past 24 hours, CENTCOM forces “successfully destroyed five Iranian-backed Houthi uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAV), three over the Red Sea and two over Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen.”
“It was determined these UAVs presented an imminent threat to US, coalition forces, and merchant vessels in the region. These actions were taken to protect freedom of navigation and make international waters safer and more secure.”
The Iranian-backed Houthis have upped their attacks in the region since the start of the war in Gaza, having launched drones towards southern Israel and targeting commercial ships in the Red Sea region.
Last week, the Houhis claimed responsibility for launching drones towards the port city of Eilat, saying they had carried out a joint military operation with the Iraqi Islamic Resistance.
Two weeks ago, the Iranian-backed rebels claimed they conducted four military operations targeting four ships in the Red, Arabian and Mediterranean Seas as well as the Indian Ocean, which they said were "linked to the United States, the United Kingdom and Israel".
Monday’s incidents came as the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt was approaching the Middle East to replace the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, which spent months in the Red Sea to counter the Houthis.
In the wake of the uptick in Houthi attacks, the US formed a coalition, made up of more than 20 countries, aimed at safeguarding commercial traffic in the Red Sea from attacks by the Houthis.
In mid-January, with support from other countries, the US and Britain targeted just under 30 Houthi locations with 150 different weapons. They have since carried out several rounds of strikes against Houthi targets.
The Houthis have been unfazed by the strikes, saying that the campaign against the "Zionist enemy" will continue and that the attacks against the American and British ships will not stop.