Houthi Leader Claims 153 Ship Attacks in 7 Months

Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, leader of Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi group, has asserted responsibility for targeting 153 ships in a heightened maritime campaign supposedly in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.
This escalation coincides with ongoing US-led efforts to protect shipping lanes in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
Since November 19, the Houthis have conducted attacks in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, and Indian Ocean, aiming to disrupt Israeli-linked and other vessels, including those from the US and UK.
They recently expanded their operations to the Mediterranean, claiming strikes on Israeli ports in collaboration with Iran-backed Iraqi groups.
The surge in attacks raises concerns about the security of crucial international sea routes, prompting increased measures by the US and its allies to safeguard maritime traffic.
On June 19, American forces announced that they have destroyed two Houthi sites in Yemen following a spate of ship attacks by the Iran-backed group.
“USCENTCOM forces successfully destroyed one ground control station and one command-and-control node,” in a Houthi area of Yemen, the military command announced on X.
CENTCOM also took out two Houthi “uncrewed surface vessels (USV) in the Red Sea” within the last 24 hours.
Houthi Leader Threatens More Attacks, Claims Targeting Ships
Al-Houthi pledged more attacks in his weekly address on Thursday, and boasted about the targeting of 153 ships linked to Israel, the US, and Britain.
He asserted his forces hit the aircraft carrier “Eisenhower” with missiles for the third time in the northern Red Sea.
In the past week, al-Houthi claimed responsibility for 10 attacks using 26 ballistic and unmanned missiles, including one where his fighters boarded the M/V Tutor ship, rigged it with explosives, and detonated it after striking it with a USV.
Western maritime sources confirmed on Wednesday that the Greek M/V Tutor sank in the Red Sea a week after a Houthi attack. This incident follows the sinking of the British ship “Rubymar” due to similar attacks.
Concerns are now focused on the Ukrainian ship M/V Verbena, whose crew abandoned it in the Gulf of Aden after failing to extinguish a fire caused by another Houthi attack earlier this month.
In other developments, the Houthis admitted on Wednesday to airstrikes they described as “American-British,” targeting the Taif area in Al Durayhimi district south of Hodeidah.
They later acknowledged another strike in the Salif district on Thursday, bringing the total airstrikes over the past 10 days to 30, mostly hitting locations in and around Hodeidah.
Since January 12, US and British airstrikes against the Houthis have exceeded 500, resulting in the deaths of 58 individuals and injuries to 86 others, according to Houthi statements.

Israel’s military said it intercepted a missile fired toward the country by Yemen’s Houthi militias, setting off sirens on Monday across the Jordan Valley and the occupied West Bank.

There were no reports of injuries from Magen David Adom, Israel’s rescue service.

The Iran-backed Houthis have been firing drones and missiles at Israel for almost a year, and the frequency has increased to near-daily attacks over the past month — attacks the Houthis say won’t stop until Israel agrees to a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

Israel has carried out multiple waves of intense strikes in recent weeks in Yemen in response to the missile attacks. The latest launch raises the likelihood of further Israeli retaliation.

The US and partner forces have also launched multiple rounds of airstrikes against the Houthis.

Houthi Leader Claims 153 Ship Attacks in 7 Months