DUBAI, United Arab Emirates: Yemen’s Houthis early Wednesday claimed the attack that left a Dutch-flagged cargo ship ablaze and adrift in the Gulf of Aden, underlining the range of their weaponry and their campaign targeting shipping over the Israel-Hamas war.
The attack Monday on the Minervagracht was the most serious assault by the Iranian-backed Houthis in the Gulf of Aden, some distance from the Red Sea where they have sunk four vessels since November 2023.
The attack also comes as Israel engages in a new ground offensive targeting Gaza City as efforts to reach a ceasefire again hang in the balance. Meanwhile, the Mideast also remains on edge after the United Nations reimposed sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program.
The Houthis fired a cruise missile that targeted and struck the Minervagracht, Houthi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree said.
Saree accused the the ship’s owners, Amsterdam-based Spliethoff, of violating “the entry ban to the ports of occupied Palestine.” Initially, the US Navy-overseen Joint Maritime Information Center said the Minervagracht had no ties to Israel, but a note Tuesday said the center was “reviewing vessel affiliations for possible links to Israel.”
