Yemen’s Houthis claim attacks on US destroyer, Israel-bound ship in Red Sea

SANAA, Yemen

Yemen’s Houthi group claimed on Wednesday to have targeted a US destroyer and Israel-bound ship in the Red Sea.

Houthi spokesman Yahya Saree said naval missiles targeted US destroyer Mason in the Red Sea, resulting in a direct hit.

Another ship was attacked with missiles and drones after it “violated a ban on vessels” heading to Israel, he added.

There was no comment from the US on the Houthi claim.

Wednesday’s attack came one day after the US and UK launched airstrikes on the Houthi-run Al Hudayda airport in western Yemen.

The Houthis have been targeting ships that are Israeli-owned, flagged, operated, or headed to Israeli ports in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden with missiles and drones in solidarity with Gaza, which has been under a devastating Israeli onslaught since Oct. 7.

With the US and UK launching retaliatory airstrikes against Houthi sites inside Yemen, the Houthis declared that they consider all American and British ships military targets.

*Writing by Mohammad Sio