Houthi Militants Launch Rocket Attacks on Commercial Ship Near Yemen's Coast

The UK Maritime Trade Operations reported on Friday, August 9, that Houthi militants, supported by the Islamic Republic, launched a rocket attack on a commercial ship in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. The organization stated on social media platform 'X' that the attack occurred 45 nautical miles south of 'Al-Mokha' in Yemen. The captain of the commercial ship reported that the incident took place early Friday morning. So far, there have been no reports of casualties or damage to the ship. On Thursday, August 8, a tanker was subjected to two attacks from Yemen. The first attack involved two small boats that fired a projectile which exploded near the tanker. An hour later, another missile exploded near the tanker. According to the report, the tanker and its crew were unharmed, and the ship, named 'Delta Blue' and flying the Liberian flag, is proceeding to its destination. Houthi militants affiliated with the Islamic Republic have been launching missile and drone attacks on vessels in vital shipping channels in the Red Sea, Bab el-Mandeb Strait, and Gulf of Aden since November of last year, in an effort to demonstrate their support for Hamas, another Tehran-backed group in the Gaza war. Some Western experts claim these attacks are carried out under the orders and with the assistance of the Islamic Republic. The Houthi attacks have prompted the United States and the UK to conduct several airstrikes in Yemen, targeting the military infrastructure of this group. CENTCOM: Two cruise missiles and one unmanned surface vessel of the Houthis were destroyed. The Houthis claim to have attacked two American destroyers; an American official stated: 'We have no information.' A day full of confrontations between CENTCOM and Houthi rebels in Yemen, the Red Sea, and Gulf of Aden; at least 7 threats were neutralized.