US Military: December Attack by Houthis on Norwegian Ship Conducted Using Iranian Missile

The US military states that the Houthis, supported by the Islamic Republic, attacked a Norwegian-flagged ship in the Red Sea last year using an Iranian-made anti-ship cruise missile. A report released on Wednesday, July 10, by the US Defense Intelligence Agency regarding the December 20 attack by the Houthis on the ship 'Strinda', which resulted in a fire onboard, aligns with findings from a Norwegian insurance group about the remnants of the ship. According to this report, the 'Taloo-4' turbojet engine used in the 'Noor' missile has unique features in its compressor and stator that correspond with the remnants of the missile engine recovered from the Houthi attack on the 'Strinda'. The US Defense Intelligence Agency's report adds that the Houthis have 'likely' attacked targets in Israel, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Yemen, and dozens of ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden using weapons provided by the Islamic Republic. The Permanent Mission of the Islamic Republic to the United Nations, in response to a question from the Associated Press regarding this matter, dismissed the abundant evidence indicating Tehran's direct support for the Houthis, including the seizure of several ships carrying weapons from Iran to Yemen, and denied sending arms to this Iran-backed group. The Houthis are among the Iranian proxy militia groups in the Middle East and, following the terrorist attack by Hamas on Israel on October 7 last year and the subsequent Israeli military assault on Gaza aimed at destroying this Tehran-supported group, have targeted passing ships in the region with frequent missile and drone attacks under the pretext of supporting Palestinians. In response, the US and its allies have formed an international coalition in recent months to target the objectives and weapons of this Iran-backed group. The value of goods transported through the Red Sea is about one trillion dollars a year, and the continuation of Houthi attacks on ships in this area poses the greatest maritime challenge to the United States Navy since World War II. The Iran-backed Houthis are suspected of attacking another ship in the Gulf of Aden, claiming collaboration with the 'Islamic Resistance of Iraq' in an attack on a 'vital target' in Haifa, Israel. The US military destroyed a radar site of the Iran-backed Houthis, and CENTCOM reported the destruction of seven drones and one ground control station of the Houthis. The Houthis claim to have used a 'new ballistic missile' in their attack on a cargo ship on Monday.