Yemen’s Houthi rebels on Tuesday claimed responsibility for a missile strike on the Dutch-flagged cargo vessel Minervagracht, which caught fire in the Gulf of Aden, Reuters reported.
According to the Houthis’ military spokesperson, the strike was carried out Monday using a cruise missile. The EU maritime mission Aspides and the vessel’s operator confirmed that two sailors were injured and the ship’s 19 crew members were evacuated by helicopter.
Amsterdam-based operator Spliethoff stated that Minervagracht was navigating international waters when it was hit, sustaining significant damage and igniting a fire.
The Houthis claimed the vessel’s owner had violated “the entry ban to the ports of occupied Palestine,” prompting the attack.
The attack marks the latest in a series of maritime assaults by the Iranian-backed Houthis, who have targeted ships in the Red Sea since 2023, citing solidarity with Gaza.
The latest attack was the first Houthi strike on a commercial vessel since September 1, when the Israeli-owned tanker Scarlet Ray was targeted near Yanbu, Saudi Arabia.
In July, the group sank the Magic Seas bulk carrier and the Eternity C cargo ship in the Red Sea.
In March, the US launched strikes against the Houthis on the orders of President Donald Trump.
Trump later announced that the US would stop bombing the Houthis after the rebels communicated that they would stop attacking commercial shipping in the Red Sea.
Even though the Houthis halted their attack on US ships, they stressed that they would continue attacks on Israel and on ships linked to Israel, as they have done since the start of the conflict in Gaza.