U.S.-led counterstrikes against Yemen’s Houthi rebels have failed to slow the Iran-backed rebels’ attacks on global shipping.
Dubai, United Arab Emirates — A suspected missile attack by set a ship ablaze in the Gulf of Aden on Thursday as Israel intercepted what appeared to be another Houthi attack near the port city of Eilat, authorities said. The attacks come as the Iran-backed rebels escalate their assaults over in the Gaza Strip.
The attack Thursday in the Gulf of Aden saw two missiles fired, the British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said. It said the unnamed ship was ablaze, without elaborating.
Ship-tracking data analyzed by The Associated Press identified the vessel as a Palau-flagged cargo ship named Islander. It had been coming from Thailand bound for Egypt and previously sent out messages saying «SYRIAN CREW ON BOARD» to potentially avoid being targeted by the Houthis.
«The missile attack lead to a fire onboard and coalition military assets were responding to the incident,» the private security firm Ambrey said.
The ship’s Liberian-listed owners could not be immediately reached for comment.Israel intercepts missile headed for Red Sea port
Sirens sounded early Thursday morning over Eilat, followed by videos posted online of what appeared to be an interception in the sky overhead. The Israeli military later said the interception was carried out by its Arrow missile defense system.
Israel did not identify what the fire was, nor where it came from. However, the Arrow system intercepts long-range ballistic missiles with a warhead designed to destroy targets while they are in space.
The system «successfully intercepted a launch which was identified in the area of the Red Sea and was en route to Israel,» the Israeli military said.
