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Houthi missile attack on ship off Yemen kills 3 crew members in rebels' first fatal assault
Commercial vessel ‘True Confidence’ was severely damaged by an anti-ship ballistic missile launched from a Houthi-controlled area in Yemen.
At least three crew members of a commercial ship were killed in a missile attack by Yemen's Houthi rebels, the Associated Press reported. The survivors were compelled to abandon the vessel. This incident signifies a notable escalation in Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping, which commenced in October following the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza.
According to the US military's Central Command, the commercial ship – ‘True Confidence’ – sustained significant damage when it was struck by an anti-ship ballistic missile launched from a Houthi-controlled area in Yemen.
Following the missile strike, the crew evacuated the ship and launched lifeboats. A US warship and the Indian navy were at the scene, assisting in the rescue operations. The exact number of crew members aboard during the attack remained uncertain.
The assault on the Barbados-flagged, Liberian-owned bulk carrier True Confidence further exacerbates tensions along a vital maritime pathway connecting Asia and the Middle East to Europe, disrupting global maritime traffic.
According to Reuters reports, the Greek ‘True Confidence’ operators said the vessel was adrift and engulfed in flames. They indicated a lack of information regarding the status of the 20 crew members and three armed guards, including 15 Filipinos, four Vietnamese, two Sri Lankans, an Indian, and a Nepali national.
Houthis' statement
According to a Reuters report, the Houthis claimed responsibility for the attack that ignited the Greek-owned, Barbados-flagged vessel True Confidence approximately 50 nautical miles off the coast of Yemen's port of Aden.
Houthis declared the strike “accurate”, resulting in a fire onboard the ship. “The targeting operation came after the ship’s crew rejected warning messages from the Yemeni naval forces,” a CNN report quoted Houthis' statement about the attack.
The Houthi statement reiterated the group's backing for the Palestinian people and affirmed their commitment to continue the attacks in the Red Sea until the cessation of Israeli “aggression” and the lifting of the siege on the Gaza Strip.
Houthi rebels' attacks in the Red Sea
The rebels have targeted ships in the Red Sea and surrounding waters repeatedly during the Israel-Hamas war. However, until Wednesday, they had not caused any casualties among the crew members. Some of the vessels targeted included at least one carrying cargo bound for Iran, which is the main supporter of the Houthis, and an aid ship later destined for Houthi-controlled territory.
Despite over a month and a half of US-led airstrikes, Houthi rebels have maintained their ability to carry out significant attacks. These include the recent attack on the Rubymar, a cargo ship transporting fertilizer, which sank after drifting for several days, as well as the downing of an American drone valued at tens of millions of dollars.
The reason behind the Houthis' targeting of the ‘True Confidence’ remains unclear. However, it's worth noting that the ship was previously owned by Oaktree Capital Management, a Los Angeles-based fund that finances vessels through instalment plans. Oaktree declined to provide further comment on the matter.
(With inputs from Associated Press, Reuters)
