Houthis hit US-operated bulk carrier in the Gulf of Aden

The Iran-aligned Houthi militants fired an anti-ship ballistic missile yesterday, hitting a Marshall Island-flagged dry bulk carrier, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said.

PHOTO: Large container vessel ship passing Suez Canal, Egypt. Getty Images

The bulk carrier, M/V Gibraltar Eagle, is owned and operated by US-based shipping company Eagle Bulk Shipping. The vessel was hit while sailing 100 miles in the Gulf of Aden. It was carrying steel cargo at the time of the incident.

The vessel sustained limited damage to a cargo hold and remains stable after being hit, Eagle Bulk Shipping said.

The US CENTCOM also noted that no personnel injuries or significant damages were reported after the attack and the ship continued its voyage.

The Yemeni militant group has been carrying out airstrikes on commercial vessels in the southern part of the Red Sea in response to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.

They claim that these vessels are either linked to Israel or heading for Israeli ports. However, there is no substantial evidence backing these claims.

Unsafe Southern Red Sea

Earlier yesterday, the US Navy “detected an anti-ship ballistic missile fired toward the Southern Red Sea commercial shipping lanes,” the US CENTCOM said. “The missile failed in flight and impacted on land in Yemen. There were no injuries or damage reported,” it added.

The US Navy and CENTCOM have designated the Southern Red Sea region between 16°N to 12°N as high-risk zones, global shipping association BIMCO said.

“It is currently not possible to foresee how the security situation develops, but the present security conditions may prevail for still some time,” BIMCO added.

By Aparupa Mazumder 

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