Houthi rebels have resumed their missile campaign against shipping, claiming a string of attacks on commercial vessels and warships that ultimately failed to impact any of them.
The Yemeni group’s military spokesman Yahya Saree said on 7 April that rebel forces targeted three cargo ships and US frigates off his country’s waters.
The claimed targets were Borealis Maritime’s 3,534-teu Hope Island (built 2006), as well as MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company’s 4,056-teu MSC Gina (built 1999) and the 24,300-dwt multipurpose vessel MSC Grace F (built 1991).
Independent sources are confirming reports of an attempted strike on the Hope Island.
According to a daily summary released by the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, the Hope Island was targeted both on Saturday and Sunday.
On 6 April, the master of the Hope Island reported two missiles near the vessel as it was sailing in the Red Sea, about 60 nautical miles (110 km) southwest of the Yemeni port of Hodeidah.
Western military forces operating in the area intercepted the first missile, while the second “impacted the water [at] a distance from the vessel”, UKMTO said.
The description of this event matches a parallel account by the European Union-led EUNAVFOR force, according to which the German frigate Hessen “successfully repelled” a missile launched from Houthi-controlled areas on Saturday against an unidentified commercial vessel, to which the Hessen was providing “close protection”.
According to UKMTO, the Houthis tried to strike the Hope Island for a second time on Sunday, as the ship was sailing in the Gulf of Aden, 59 miles southwest of the Yemeni port.
This time, the missile “impacted the water in close proximity to the vessel’s port quarter”.
The Hope Island was not damaged and there were no casualties among the crew.
No independent corroboration has been produced so far for the Houthis’ claims to have “carried out a targeting operation” against the MSC Gina and MSC Grace.
The Houthis justified the attack on the two MSC vessels by describing them as “Israeli ships… heading to the ports of occupied Palestine”.
According to Saree, the Houthis targeted the two vessels with “ballistic and winged missiles”.
Even though the spokesman said the operation “achieved its objectives successfully,” he stopped short of claiming any direct hits against the ships.
MSC managers did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
As to the Houthis’ claims of attacks against “American” war vessels, US military authorities confirmed on Sunday that US or coalition forces identified and destroyed one “inbound anti-ship missile” and one Houthi drone “presenting a threat to them” over the Red Sea the day before.
“There were no injuries or damage reported by US coalition or commercial ships,” US Centcom said on X.
