Houthis attack another container ship in Red Sea

Yemen’s Houthi rebels on Tuesday launched an attack on another commercial ship in the Red Sea, marking the latest escalation of aggression along shipping routes in the region, the rebel group confirmed.

The rebel group’s forces launched naval missiles Tuesday against the MSC United VIII, a container ship owned by MSC Mediterranean Shipping, Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sare’e wrote on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.

Sare’e said the attack came after the crew aboard the United VIII “refused” calls from the group’s naval forces, along with “repeated fiery warning messages.”

MSC Mediterranean Shipping confirmed the incident, adding its vessel informed a nearby coalition force warship of the attack and “as instructed, engaged in evasive maneuvers.”

MSC Mediterranean Shipping said none of the United VIII crew reported injuries, while a “thorough assessment” of the vessel is being conducted.

The vessel was on its way to Pakistan from Saudi Arabia, the company said.

“Our first priority remains protecting the lives and safety of our seafarers, and until their safety can be ensured MSC will continue to reroute vessels booked for Suez transit via the Cape of Good Hope,” MSC Mediterranean Shipping said in a statement.

MSC is among a series of other shipping companies — including BP, A.P. Moller-Maersk, Hapag-Lloyd and CMA CGM — to suspend operations in the Red Sea and reroute their movement earlier this month.

Tuesday’s incident marked the latest attack by Houthis on vessels in the Red Sea, as part of a maritime campaign to stop Israeli airstrikes and ground attacks in Gaza amid Israel’s war with Hamas.

The Houthi rebels began targeting Israeli-linked ships, but attacks in recent weeks have hit or nearly missed ships that lack any clear ties to Israel.

Claiming responsibility for the attack Tuesday, Sare’e wrote, “The Yemeni Armed Forces affirm their continued support and solidarity with the Palestinian people in consistent with their religious, moral and humanitarian duty.”

The suspension of shipping operations has also impacted global oil prices.

The White House on Friday accused Iran of having close ties to these attacks, alleging Tehran’s clerical state provided drones, missiles and tactical intelligence to the Houthis, per Reuters.

“We know that Iran was deeply involved in planning the operations against commercial vessels in the Red Sea. This is consistent with Iran’s long-term material support and encouragement of the Houthis’ destabilizing actions in the region,” White House national security spokesperson Adrienne Watson said in a statement.

Iran has denied involvement in attacks by the Houthis in the Red Sea, the news wire added.

Last week, the White House said the U.S. may establish a naval task force to escort commercial ships in the Red Sea in the wake of the increased attacks.

Iran last week separately threatened that the Mediterranean Sea could be “closed” if the U.S. and Israel continue to commit “crimes” in Gaza. Iran, which has long backed Hamas, accused the Israeli military and the U.S. — a close Israeli ally — of committing war crimes in Gaza.

More than 20,000 Palestinians have been killed in the violence since early October, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Israel has largely rejected calls for a cease-fire with Hamas, which runs Gaza, vowing to destroy the militant group in response to the group’s Oct. 7 incursion into Israel that left about 1,200 people dead.

Sare’e separately confirmed Houthi forces also carried out an operation in Eilat, a city in Israel that he called “occupied Palestine.” He did not confirm if any of the targets were hit.