Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels announced on Wednesday that they attacked a Greek-owned bulk carrier, Laax, and several other vessels in retaliation for Israeli airstrikes on Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree stated on social media platform X that the Laax was “directly hit and severely damaged.”

The Laax, a Marshall Islands-flagged and Greek-operated ship, was hit by three missiles on Tuesday, according to the US Central Command (CENTCOM) and maritime security firms. Despite the damage, the vessel continued its voyage, as confirmed by CENTCOM and the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), operated by Britain’s Royal Navy. The Joint Maritime Information Centre (JMIC), run by a Western-led naval task force in the region, reported that “one crew member was reportedly injured” in the attack.

Saree mentioned that the Houthis also targeted five other ships, emphasizing that these strikes were “in response to the crimes of the Zionist enemy against the displaced in Rafah,” following Israeli attacks on Gaza. The Houthis, who have been attacking ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden since November, claim their actions are in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, amidst the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas since October 7.

These Houthi assaults have led some shipping companies to reroute around southern Africa to avoid the Red Sea, a critical passage that handles approximately 12 percent of global trade. In March, a ship carrying fertilizer sank in the Gulf of Aden after being damaged by Houthi missiles, and in November, the rebels seized the vehicle-transporter Galaxy Leader and its crew in a helicopter-borne assault.

Since January, the United States and Britain have conducted retaliatory strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen in response to the attacks on shipping. However, these measures have not deterred the Houthis, who have vowed to target US and British vessels and all ships heading to Israeli ports.

Sources By Agencies