The Red Sea and its surroundings are constantly under tension. On Wednesday, January 31, the US military announced a series of military operations against Yemen's Houthi rebels, who are threatening incursions into the Red Sea.
8:30pm local time (6:30pm Paris time), “Iran-backed Houthi rebels launched an anti-ship missile from areas under their control in Yemen towards the Gulf of Aden. The missile was shot down USS Carney », US military command in the Middle East (CENTCOM) announced in a press release. Within an hour, the same eraser “Three Iranian Drones Downed” Those who were located “Near” From him, Centcom added, without specifying whether these devices were weapons or not. Later in the evening, CENTCOM again announced that US strikes had destroyed ten attack drones and a Houthi command post in Yemen. “poses an immediate threat to US merchant ships and military vessels in the region”.
US building targeted by Houthis
Earlier on Wednesday, the U.S. military said it had destroyed a rebel surface-to-air missile that it was preparing to launch from Yemen. The missile threatened U.S. aircraft, argued Centcom, without specifying what type of device the Houthis could have targeted.
In recent weeks, the rebels, who are close to Iran, which controls much of Yemen, have been said to have mainly targeted merchant ships or warships in the Red Sea, amid the war between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas in Gaza. They said they targeted the US building on Wednesday USS Gravely.
Also off the coast of Yemen, a missile fired from Yemen struck a merchant ship, British maritime defense firm Ambre said. “According to our information, a merchant ship was targeted by a “missile” while crossing. (…) Aden, Aden Beach »said Ambray “Ship declared explosion” On the ship. “Ambrey knew that this missile had been launched (…) Taiz's »A province in southern Yemen, the agency added.
Thirty-five Houthi attacks on ships
The US Department of Defense says the Houthis have carried out more than 35 attacks on ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden since November 19. Since November, they have targeted ships bound for Israel in solidarity with Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, they said.
The United States, Israel's main ally, has deployed warships in the Red Sea and launched several strikes against Houthi positions in January, sometimes in conjunction with the United Kingdom. Since then, the Houthis have also targeted ships bound for the United States or the United Kingdom.
These attacks on Yemen have a significant impact on international trade, up to 12% of which passes through this vital region. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) reported on Wednesday that container shipping through the Red Sea has fallen by almost 30% in a year. The United States has put the Houthis on an institutional list “Terrorists”, Established the International Maritime Organization “protect” International trade in this area.
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