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Suspected Houthi Missile Attack Hits Container Ship in First Attack in 2 Weeks

File photo: A Houthi military helicopter flies over a cargo ship in the Red Sea. (Reuters)
File photo: A Houthi military helicopter flies over a cargo ship in the Red Sea. (Reuters)
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Suspected Houthi Missile Attack Hits Container Ship in First Attack in 2 Weeks

File photo: A Houthi military helicopter flies over a cargo ship in the Red Sea. (Reuters)
File photo: A Houthi military helicopter flies over a cargo ship in the Red Sea. (Reuters)

A suspected missile attack by Yemen's Houthi group struck a container ship traveling through the Gulf of Aden, authorities said Sunday, likely the first assault by the group since Israeli airstrikes targeted them.
The Houthis have offered no explanation for the two-week pause in their attacks on shipping through the Red Sea corridor, which have seen similar slowdowns since the assaults began in November over Israel's war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
But the resumption comes after the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Iran, the Houthis' main benefactor, amid renewed concerns over the war breaking out into a regional conflict, The Associated Press said.
The attack on Saturday happened some 225 kilometers (140 miles) southeast of Aden in a stretch of the Gulf of Aden that has seen numerous Houthi attacks previously.
A security official on the vessel said a missile struck the vessel, but “no fires, water ingress or oil leaks have been observed,” according to a statement from the British military's United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center, a clearinghouse for information on attacks in the Mideast. The UKMTO did not immediately identify the vessel hit.
The private security firm Ambrey also reported the attack. Details reported by the two organizations suggested the vessel targeted was the Liberian-flagged container ship Groton, which had left Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates bound for Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The Groton's Greek managers did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Houthis did not immediately claim the attack Saturday. However, it can take the group hours or even days before they acknowledge an assault.
The Houthis have targeted more than 70 vessels by firing missiles and drones in their campaign that have killed four sailors. They have seized one vessel and sunk two in the time since. Other missiles and drones have been either intercepted by a US-led coalition in the Red Sea or splashed down before reaching their targets.
The Houthis maintain that their attacks target ships linked to Israel, the United States or Britain as part of their campaign they say seeks to force an end to the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip.

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Lebanon at Risk as Iran Uses Its Airspace, Israel Responds

Passengers stranded in the departure hall of Rafik Hariri International Airport following flight delays (DPA)
Passengers stranded in the departure hall of Rafik Hariri International Airport following flight delays (DPA)
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Lebanon at Risk as Iran Uses Its Airspace, Israel Responds

Passengers stranded in the departure hall of Rafik Hariri International Airport following flight delays (DPA)
Passengers stranded in the departure hall of Rafik Hariri International Airport following flight delays (DPA)

Lebanon found itself entangled in the latest flare-up between Israel and Iran, as its skies became a battleground for Iranian missiles and drones, and Israeli interceptor rockets throughout Friday night and into Saturday morning.

Residents across several towns and cities endured a tense and sleepless night, fearing the fallout of missiles potentially crashing into populated areas.

The country’s airspace, which was shut down Friday evening as a security precaution, was reopened at 10 a.m. on Saturday.

Minister of Public Works and Transport, Fayez Rasamny, speaking from Beirut’s international airport during an inspection visit, said the facility would remain open “unless an emergency beyond our control arises”.

The Ministry of Public Works said in a statement that the airspace closure and accompanying emergency measures were taken “strictly for security reasons,” stressing that “the safety of passengers and airport facilities remains a top priority.”

Middle East Airlines (MEA), Lebanon’s national carrier, rescheduled several flights to and from Beirut after passengers were left stranded overnight at the airport due to cancellations and delays.

Lebanon’s skies have become a corridor for conflict in the intensifying Israeli-Iranian standoff, sparking growing fears among Lebanese officials and analysts who warn the country is losing control over its own airspace - and may be paying the price.

Beirut lacks the leverage to deter Iran from using its airspace to launch attacks on Israel, nor can it stop Israeli forces from intercepting drones and missiles mid-flight over Lebanese territory.

With Iranian projectiles and Israeli countermeasures crossing through the same skies, experts warn Lebanon faces mounting military and civilian risks as long as it remains entangled in the regional confrontation.

“The passage of Iranian missiles and drones through Lebanese airspace toward Israel presents serious military and security threats on multiple levels,” retired Brigadier General Saeed Al-Qazaz told Asharq Al-Awsat.

He warned that turning Lebanon into a de facto battleground increases the risk of missiles falling into populated areas -- as seen in the Bekaa Valley during the overnight bombardment between Friday and Saturday.

“Israeli attempts to intercept these threats over Lebanon could result in casualties on the ground, whether due to guidance malfunctions or fuel depletion. The fragmentation of these weapons is just as dangerous as a direct hit,” explained Al-Qazaz.

One missile reportedly landed late Friday in the outskirts of Beit Shama, west of Baalbek, sending shockwaves through the valley and stoking fears of further fallout.

Airspace Safety and Legal Concerns

Al-Qazaz also voiced grave concern over aviation safety, saying Lebanon’s crowded airspace could become a deadly zone for civilian aircraft.

“There is an immediate threat to air navigation, and the risk of a commercial aircraft being struck is real. That justifies the need to close the airspace entirely in such circumstances,” he said.

Using the airspace of a sovereign nation without consent, he added, constitutes “a flagrant violation of international law,” citing the 1944 Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation, which affirms a state’s sovereignty over its own skies.

He stressed that the Lebanese government bears responsibility and “must not allow missiles and drones to pass through its airspace without taking action”. International legal liability could arise if any damage is caused to third countries by these aerial operations.

At the same time, Al-Qazaz pointed out a double standard: “While Israel uses the airspace of Lebanon, Syria, and Iraq without consequence, these countries fail to respond or prevent such actions. Jordan, however, has recently intercepted projectiles to avoid international accountability”.

Calls for International Action

Despite Lebanon’s limited capacity to influence either side in the conflict, Al-Qazaz said the government could still lodge a formal complaint with the UN Security Council over repeated airspace violations.

“Lebanon can protest to the international community over the use of its skies by both Israel and Iran, even if no concrete outcome is expected,” he said.

“But remaining silent while missiles continue to pass overhead exposes Lebanon to greater danger, undermines its sovereignty, and drags it further into a military confrontation it did not choose”.

As tensions simmer and skies remain contested, Lebanon finds itself navigating a high-stakes crisis with few tools to shield its people, or its sovereignty.