Houthis Claim Attack on Ship in Red Sea and Israeli Port of Eilat

Yahya Saree, the spokesperson for the armed forces of the Houthi rebels in Yemen, claimed on Tuesday that the Houthis targeted an oil tanker named 'Madu' in the Red Sea with naval missiles, as well as the port and resort area of Eilat in Israel with cruise missiles. According to Reuters, maritime tracking services indicate that Madu is a liquefied gas tanker flying the flag of the Marshall Islands, heading from Saudi Arabia to Singapore. However, the Houthis described it as an American ship. The Equasis shipping database shows that this vessel belongs to the shipping and trading company Neftermar in Greece. Neftermar has not responded to this news. The Iranian-backed Houthi militants have repeatedly launched drones and missiles at international commercial ships in the Red Sea region since mid-November, claiming they are acting in solidarity with Palestinians and against Israel's military attack on Gaza. The Islamic Republic asserts that it does not have proxy groups and that they act independently. However, many Western experts point to weapons smuggled from Iran, suggesting these attacks are carried out at the request and with the assistance of the Islamic Republic. The Houthi attacks have disrupted global shipping, forcing companies to reroute and undertake longer and more expensive journeys from southern Africa. In response to the Houthi missile launches, the United States and Britain, along with the navies of other countries, have conducted attacks on Houthi targets. The British Maritime Trade Operations agency reported an explosion near a commercial ship in eastern Aden. CENTCOM reported that the launch of three ballistic missiles by the Houthis resulted in no damage or casualties. The Houthis confirmed a meeting with Hamas and other Palestinian groups in Beirut, with Palestinian sources stating that senior officials from Hamas and the Houthis met to coordinate 'actions against Israel.'