Houthi admits attacking 4 cargo ships

(Illustration: TASS).

TASS news agency quoted the spokesman for the Houthi forces in Yemen, Yahya Sarea, on June 28 as saying that the Houthis and the Iraqi Islamic Resistance Movement attacked the Waler oil tanker heading towards the Israeli port of Haifa across the Mediterranean.

"The ship was attacked for violating the ban on passing through ports in occupied Palestine," Mr. Sarea said.

In addition, Houthi also attacked the container ship Johannes Maersk in the Mediterranean, the chemical tanker Delonix and the cargo ship Ioannis in the Red Sea.

The Johannes Maersk and Delonix were attacked with missiles while the Ioannis was attacked by suicide boats.

After the conflict between Israel and Hamas forces broke out in the Gaza Strip, Houthis warned of attacks on Israeli territory, and banned Israeli-linked ships from passing through the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait until Tel Aviv until Israel stopped its military campaign against Hamas.

Since mid-November, the Houthis have attacked dozens of civilian ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.

The Houthis claim to have only attacked ships with some connection to Israel. However, according to a new report released by the US Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) on June 14, the Houthi attacks in the Red Sea have affected 29 shipping companies and 65 countries, including Iran.

From late 2023 to mid-February this year, container traffic through the Red Sea has dropped by about 90%.

Houthi drone and missile attacks have forced shipping companies to divert ships from the Suez Canal shortcut to the longer route around Africa, disrupting global trade by slowing deliveries and driving up shipping costs.

In response to Houthi attacks, since January this year, the US-UK naval coalition stationed in the region has conducted airstrikes and missile attacks on Houthi targets in Yemen.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/the-gioi/houthi-thua-nhan-tan-cong-4-tau-hang-20240629075312907.htm