Houthi rebels claim missile strike on Dutch cargo ship in Gulf of Aden

Yemen’s Houthi rebels have claimed responsibility for an attack that set a Dutch-flagged cargo vessel ablaze and left it drifting in the Gulf of Aden, officials said on Wednesday. The assault highlights the extended reach of Houthi weaponry and their ongoing campaign targeting shipping amid the Israel-Hamas conflict.

The Minervagracht was struck by a cruise missile on Monday, according to Houthi military spokesman Brigadier General Yahya Saree. Two crew members were injured, and the 19-member team, hailing from the Philippines, Russia, Sri Lanka, and Ukraine, was evacuated after the vessel sustained significant damage.

The ship is now on fire and adrift, according to the European-led naval force Operation Aspides, which operates in the region.

Saree accused the Amsterdam-based owners, Spliethoff, of violating “the entry ban to the ports of occupied Palestine.” Initially, the US Navy-supervised Joint Maritime Information Centre reported that the vessel had no links to Israel, but a follow-up statement on Tuesday said affiliations were under review.

The strike marks the most serious Houthi assault in months in the Gulf of Aden, far from the Red Sea, where the group has sunk four ships since November 2023.

The Houthis have carried out more than 100 missile and drone attacks on commercial vessels and on Israel, claiming solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. However, many targets have had little or no direct connection to Israel.

The Houthi campaign has disrupted shipping in the Red Sea, a major trade route handling around USD 1 trillion in goods annually before the war. Over the past two years, the campaign has killed at least eight mariners and sunk four ships.

In a related move, the Houthis announced sanctions against several American oil companies, including Chevron, ConocoPhillips, and ExxonMobil, as well as specific individuals and two vessels. Such designations have often preceded Houthi attacks in the past.

The escalation comes as Israel continues a ground offensive in Gaza and amid renewed UN sanctions on Iran over its nuclear programme, adding to tensions in the Middle East.

With PTI/AP Inputs