Houthis Supported by Iranian Government Attack a Ship in the Gulf of Aden Again

The UK Maritime Trade Operations reported an attack by Iranian-backed Houthis on a ship in the eastern Gulf of Aden. According to AFP, the agency did not release further details about the targeted ship but stated that it was able to continue its journey and that 'its crew has been reported safe.' The news agency also emphasized that the Iranian-backed Houthis have targeted passing ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden since November 2023, claiming that the reason for these actions is 'solidarity with the Palestinians' amid the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip. Reports indicate that attacks by the Iranian-backed rebels on passing ships have led to retaliatory strikes by American and British forces and the formation of an international coalition to protect vital shipping lanes through the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea. In this context, the U.S. Secretary of State, on Tuesday, June 29, during a joint press conference with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg in Washington, declared the Houthis' movements in the Red Sea as one of the threats and challenges to Israel. Additionally, U.S. Central Command reported on June 30 the neutralization of nine Houthi drones by American forces and their allies in the international coalition on Tuesday, June 29. CENTCOM stated that U.S. Central Command forces successfully destroyed eight unmanned aerial systems of the Iranian-backed Houthis in the area under their control in Yemen. In another action, the U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced on Monday, June 28, 1403, that it had sanctioned two individuals and five entities involved in facilitating arms purchases for the Houthi militants in Yemen. Following these sanctions, the U.S. State Department also announced in a statement the 'sanctioning of three individuals and six entities' and designated 'a ship belonging to one of these entities as blocked property,' considering the Houthis' attacks on unarmed commercial vessels as a barrier to 'navigation in a vital waterway.' In a statement, Matthew Miller, the spokesperson for the U.S. State Department, said, 'The United States is committed to using the tools at our disposal to prevent the flow of military items to Yemen, which enables the Houthis to carry out these terrorist attacks.' The Ansar Allah militant group, also known as the Houthis, is supported by the Iranian government. Since November of last year, the Houthis have conducted dozens of drone and missile attacks on ships in the Red Sea, Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, and Gulf of Aden, claiming solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza. These attacks have resulted in civilian casualties and caused severe damage to commercial vessels and global trade. The U.S. Central Command, which is part of a coalition with several other countries, emphasized that the 'malicious and reckless behavior' of the Iranian-backed Houthis continues to threaten regional stability and endangers the lives of sailors across the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. The U.S. confrontation with Iranian proxy groups in the region, especially the Houthis in Yemen, continues as U.S. Central Command announced on Tuesday, June 29, the appointment of Admiral Keyvan Hakimzadeh as the commander of the CENTCOM strike group. It is worth noting that after multiple attacks by the Houthis on various ships, the U.S. once again placed them on the list of 'global terrorists' in Bahman 1402. Images from moments before and after the Houthis' attack on the Greek ship 'Toter' show the U.S. military and coalition forces confronting the Houthi militants; nine drones were destroyed. The U.S. has sanctioned several Houthi arms supply networks. The crew of the ship 'Verbena' was rescued; CENTCOM reported that the 'Jamaran' corvette did not respond to their request for help. The crew of the Greek ship that was attacked by the Houthis was evacuated; one person is missing, and the rescue operation for the crew of the Greek ship that was hit by the Houthis is ongoing.