Houthi launches missile, forcing US military cargo ship to turn back

Houthi forces launched missiles at two cargo ships serving the US military and their escorting warships, forcing the cargo ships to turn back.

Maersk Shipping announced that two cargo ships belonging to its subsidiary Maersk Line, Limited (MLL) had to suspend their journeys and turn back from the Bab al-Mandab Strait after a series of explosions occurred in close proximity on January 24. "US warships intercepted a series of warheads during the incident. There were no casualties or damage, the ships are being escorted to the Gulf of Aden," the shipping company said in a statement.

MLL is a subsidiary that specializes in transporting goods for the US Department of Defense and many other government agencies.

The MLL cargo ship Maersk Peary sails off the coast of the Netherlands in 2023. Photo: Shipspotting

Maersk said both vessels were part of the Maritime Security Program (MSP) and the Voluntary Multimodal Sealift Agreement (VISA), projects run by the Pentagon to transport troops, supplies and military equipment in times of war or emergency. That led to them being escorted by US warships as they passed through the Bab al-Mandab Strait.

Yahya Sarea, a Houthi spokesman, announced on the same day that the force had launched ballistic missiles at warships escorting two US cargo ships, emphasizing that the attack forced the group of cargo ships to turn around and leave the area. "The missiles hit their targets, despite the warships' efforts to intercept them," he said.

Central Command, the US military's Middle East arm, said the Houthis fired three anti-ship ballistic missiles at the Maersk Detroit as it passed through the Gulf of Aden.

Yemen's Houthi militia has repeatedly launched missiles and drones at cargo ships in the Red Sea since November 2023, in a show of support for Hamas in the Gaza Strip, the group's ally in the Iran-led "axis of resistance" against Israel in the Middle East.

Location of the Bab al-Mandab Strait, also known as Bab el-Mandeb, and the Gulf of Aden. Graphic: Wikipedia

The attacks forced many shipping companies to stop sailing through the Red Sea and instead sail around South Africa's Cape of Good Hope, significantly increasing the time and cost of cargo ships' journeys.

Maersk announced earlier this month that it was shifting all shipping routes away from the Red Sea, except for MLL-operated cargo vessels. However, MLL announced that it would suspend all operations in the area “due to escalating tensions” following the January 24 attack.

Vu Anh (According to Reuters )

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