The military operation took place on Wednesday, the Houthis announced through their spokesman Brigadier General Yahya Saree.
“American Commercial ship, KOI, was targeted with appropriate naval missiles, while heading towards the occupied Palestinian ports,” Saree stated.
Yemenis have been conducting many such operations against Israeli vessels or those heading towards the occupied Palestinian territories’ ports.
The operations have been described as a response to an October 7, 2023-present war and siege that the Israeli regime has been waging against Gaza following an operation carried out by the Palestinian territory’s resistance movements.
Nearly 27,000 Palestinians, mostly women, children, and adolescents, have died so far in the war, which enjoys untrammeled military and political support on the part of the United States, the Israeli regime’s biggest ally.
The operation against the merchant ship came just hours after the Yemeni forces fired “several” missiles at USS Gravely, an American Navy warship, just off the Yemeni coast in the Red Sea.
Saree reaffirmed “the forces’ commitment” to continue their operations until the Israeli regime ceases its aggression against Gaza and lifts its blockade against the territory.
The United States and the UK have also conducted several missile attacks against Yemeni targets in response to the Yemeni operations.
The spokesman asserted that “the Armed Forces are to face the US-British escalation with escalation and to carry out more military operations within Yemen’s legitimate [right to] defense in response to the continued aggression”.
Yemen’s Houthi militia has stated it plans more attacks on United States and British warships.
The group’s statement, released on Wednesday, stressed all US and British warships participating in “aggression” against Yemen are targets. The statement stoked concern over the simmering tensions in the region as well as increased disruption to world trade.
