The missile was launched from Yemen towards the Gulf of Aden and hit a commercial ship. At least two crew members died and six others were injured.
The ship in question, True Confidence, sailed under the Barbados flag and was abandoned by the crew after the attack, British Trade Operations, part of the British Navy, confirms.
“At least two innocent sailors died.”The British Embassy in Yemen said in a statement.
“This was the sad but inevitable consequence of the Houthis recklessly launching missiles at international ships. These attacks must stop,” the embassy added.
The Houthis also confirmed in a statement that the True Confidence crew had been alerted before launching the missiles.
The United States, through the State Department spokesperson, says that the Houthis will bear responsibility for these attacks. “We will continue to demand accountability,” he said. “We call on governments around the world to do the same.”
These are the first deaths caused by the Houthis since the start of attacks on commercial ships. The Iranian-backed militia says these attacks are an act of protest against the Israeli attack on Gaza.
Since the conflict began in October, several ships have been affected in the Red Sea. The actions jeopardized this trade route, one of the busiest in the world, and prompted many shipping companies to choose other, more time-consuming and more expensive routes.
Following these attacks, the United States and the United Kingdom responded with air strikes against Houthi targets.
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