Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi militia claimed responsibility for a missile attack on Tuesday on a Pakistan-bound container ship in the Red Sea and for an attempt to attack Israel with drones.
MSC Mediterranean Shipping said there were no injuries to its crew from the attack on its ship, the United VIII, en route from King Abdullah Port, Saudi Arabia to Karachi.
It said the ship had informed a nearby coalition naval warship that it had come under attack and had taken evasive maneuvers.
Israel said separately that its aircraft had intercepted a hostile aerial target in the Red Sea area.
Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea in a televised address said the group had targeted the vessel, which he identified as the MSC United, after the crew failed to respond to warnings.
He also said the Houthis had carried out a military operation targeting Eilat and other areas in Israel, which he referred to as occupied Palestine. He did not say whether any of the targets were successfully hit.
US fighter jets, a navy destroyer and other assets shot down in the Red Sea 12 drones, three anti-ship ballistic missiles, and two cruise missiles fired by the Houthis, US Central Command said. There was no damage to ships and no reported injuries, it wrote on social media platform X.
The Houthis have vowed to continue their attacks until Israel halts the conflict in Gaza, and warned that it would attack US warships if the militia group itself was targeted.
