Yemen’s Houthi rebels have targeted three vessels, including an oil tanker, in the Red and Mediterranean seas with ballistic missiles, drones, and booby-trapped boats, the group said on Monday.
Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said the latest Houthi military operations were a response to the Israeli airstrike on the southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis on Saturday, which killed at least 90 Palestinians and wounded 300 others.
The Houthis said they targeted the Bentley I refined products carrier and the Chios Lion oil tanker in the Red Sea. The U.S. Central Command confirmed the attacks, but said no damage or injuries were reported.
The Houthis also claimed they joined the Iraqi Islamic Resistance in targeting the Olvia vessel in the Mediterranean Sea, but Reuters could not independently verify that attack.
Earlier on Monday, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported that two vessels came under attack in the Red Sea off Yemen’s port city of Hodeidah, with one ship sustaining some damage.
Since November, the Houthi militants have launched numerous drone and missile strikes in shipping lanes in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, which they say are in solidarity with Palestinians affected by Israel’s war in Gaza. The attacks have affected at least 65 countries and major energy and shipping companies, according to a U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency report.