CAIRO, Jan. 10 (Xinhua) -- Sana'a: Yemen's Houthi spokesman Yahya Sareya said in a statement on January 10 that the group fired a "large number" of drones and missiles at a U.S. ship sailing in the Red Sea.
The U.S. ship was providing "support and protection" to Israeli-linked vessels, and the Houthi attack was an "initial retaliation" for U.S. forces sinking three Houthi speedboats on Dec. 31, 2023, killing 10 people, Sareya said.
The U.S. ** Command issued a statement on the 10th, saying that 18 drones, 2 anti-ship cruise missiles and 1 anti-ship ballistic missile were spotted from Yemeni territory controlled by the Houthis towards the Red Sea on the 9th, and dozens of merchant ships were passing through there at that time.
The statement also said that U.S. and U.K. warplanes intercepted all drones and missiles, and there have been no reports of loss of personnel or property.
Since the outbreak of the new Palestinian-Israeli conflict, Yemen's Houthi rebels have repeatedly attacked targets in Red Sea waters using drones and missiles. The Houthis said ships linked to Israel were "legitimate targets" for the group until Israel stopped its military strikes on the Gaza Strip. Houthi attacks have led to a number of international shipping companies announcing the suspension of the Red Sea route in favor of a bypass to the southern tip of Africa. (ENDS).