The Houthi movement in Yemen has carried out another missile attack in the Red Sea, targeting a vessel identified as the U.S. ship Pinocchio, as announced by the group’s military spokesperson, Yahya Sarea, on Tuesday.
Sarea stated that the Houthis are planning to escalate their attacks during Ramadan as a show of solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.
The UK Maritime Trade Operations reported an incident involving the Liberian-flagged container vessel Pinocchio.
The attack occurred 71 nautical miles southwest of Hodeidah, a port controlled by the Houthis, on Monday. Fortunately, no casualties or damage to the ship have been reported.
Houthi media outlets also documented nine airstrikes on Monday, attributed to a U.S.-British coalition, targeting areas surrounding the Hodeidah port.
These airstrikes were directed at military positions held by the Houthis.
Since November, the Houthis have been increasingly targeting commercial shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, citing retaliation for Israeli actions in Gaza.
In response, the United States and Britain initiated air and missile strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen starting in mid-January.
However, rather than deterring or weakening the group’s capabilities, these strikes seem to have spurred further escalation from the Houthi forces.
