A Timeline of Attacks on Ships in Red Sea and Yemen-Originated Strikes on Israel Over the Past 70 Days

The Gaza-Israel war, which erupted on October 7, sparked reactions from several countries worldwide. Yemen has seen mass protests in support of Palestine, and the Ansar Allah (Houthi) group has gotten involved in the war militarily. Since October 19, the Houthi group has launched dozens of attacks on Israel and Israeli-linked ships, vowing to continue its operations as long as the Israeli war on Gaza goes on.

Sheba Intelligence presents a timeline of attacks carried out by Yemen's Houthis on Israeli-linked ships and territories in Israel since October.

October 10, 2023

The Houthi leader, Abdulmalik Al-Houthi, announced that his group would get involved in the Gaza-Israel war with missiles, drones, and other military options if the United States intervened in the Israeli war on Gaza.

October 19, 2023

US officials said USS Carney shot down three cruise missiles and several drones fired toward Israel by the Houthis in Yemen. This was the first measure by the US military to defend Israel since the outbreak of the war. It was later reported that the ship downed four cruise missiles and 15 drones. Reportedly, Saudi Arabia intercepted another missile.

October 27, 2023

Two drones were launched from the south of the Red Sea towards the north. According to Israeli army officials, the target was Israel. One drone fell near a building adjacent to a hospital in Taba, Egypt, and six people were injured, while the other was downed near a power plant near Nuweiba in Egypt.

October 30, 2023

Houthi forces conducted a military maneuver called Al-Aqsa Flood. It said that the goal of the maneuver was to prepare for supporting the Gaza Strip in its war with Israel. Israeli media said that the US Air Force intercepted a ballistic missile that fired from Yemen towards Israel in the north of the Red Sea.

October 31, 2023

Houthi forces officially announced entry into the war to support Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. The Houthis military spokesman announced that the group military launched a large number of ballistic and cruise missiles and drones on Israel. Warning sirens sounded in Eilat and the Shaharut Industrial Zone because of penetration by drones from the Red Sea. The drone was intercepted over the Red Sea. The Arrow system intercepted a ballistic missile and the Air Force intercepted several cruise missiles fired from the Red Sea towards Eilat. The Houthis claimed responsibility for the operations.

November 1, 2023

The Israeli army announced intercepting an arial threat over the Red Sea region, south of the city of Eilat, which was likely launched from Yemen.

November 8, 2023

The Houthi Armed Forces announced that Houthi air defenses shot down an American MQ-9 Reaper over Yemen' territorial waters and accused it of carrying out hostile work and surveillance. Scenes of downing the drone were published and the US Department of Defense admitted that its drone fell off the coast of Yemen.

November 9, 2023

The Houthi armed forces announced launching a batch of ballistic missiles on targets in southern Israel and said that the attacks resulted in casualties. The Israeli army announced the interception of a ballistic missile fired from Yemen before it entered the airspace of Israel. It said that an unidentified drone hit a building in the southern Israeli city of Eilat.

November 14, 2023

The Houthi armed forces launched several missiles, one of which targeted the city of Eilat. The missile was intercepted by an Arrow missile, according to Israeli officials.

November 15, 2023

The USS Thomas Hudner shot down a drone launched from Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen. The drone was shot down over the Red Sea.

November 16, 2023

The US Department of Defense announced that the USS Thomas Hudner shot down a drone that was headed toward it over the Red Sea.

November 19, 2023

The Houthi forces seized Galaxy Leader, with 25 individuals on board. According to the ship owner, the ship was then moved to the Yemeni port of Hodeidah.

November 22, 2023

The Houthi forces launched a Cruise missile on Eilat. Israeli officials said that an F-35 fighter shot down the missile.

November 23, 2023

US officials claimed that USS Thomas Hudner shot down drones launched from Yemen.

November 24, 2023

The Israeli military announced that an Israeli army fighter downed a drone that was heading towards Israel over the Red Sea. Explosions were also heard in the city of Eilat.

November 25, 2023

Fighters, believed to be Houthis, seized the "Israeli-owned Malta-flagged" container ship while transiting in the Red Sea. A Houthi drone attacked the container ship Kalandra, owned by the Israeli shipping company ZIM.

November 26, 2023

The Liberian-flagged MV Central Park, an oil tanker managed by Zodiac Maritime, was seized off the coast of Yemen in the Gulf of Aden. It carried a full cargo of phosphoric acid with 22 crew members consisting of Russian, Vietnamese, Bulgarian, Indian, Georgian and Filipino nationals. The destroyer USS Mason secured the release of the Central Park and captured the hijackers on the ship. Later, it was revealed that the hijackers were Somali nationals. The Houthis denied any connection to the attack on the ship.

November 27, 2023

The American Central Command (CENTCOM) said that two ballistic missiles were fired from the Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen towards the American destroyer USS Mason in the Gulf of Aden and that they fell 10 miles away from the destroyer.

November 29, 2023

The American destroyer USS Carney intercepted missiles fired from Yemen. The USS Carney shot down a Houthi drone headed towards the destroyer at Bab al-Mandab Strait.

November 30, 2023

CENTCOM announced that as it sailed south of the Red Sea, USS Carney shot down an Iranian-made KAS-04 drone, which was launched from a Houthi-controlled area in Yemen. The statement added that although the intentions of the drone were not known, it was heading towards the American warship.

December 3, 2023

The Houthi forces announced targeting two ships in the Red Sea after the two vessels declined to heed warnings. An anti-ship missile was used to target the first ship, and a drone to target the second. The US Department of Defense stated that the USS Carney was attacked in the Red Sea by drones and ballistic missiles fired from the Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen.

December 5, 2023

The United States said it was holding talks on the establishment of a multinational naval coalition to counter the attacks by the Houthi armed forces in the Red Sea and that 38 countries had expressed their willingness to join the maritime coalition.

December 6, 2023

The Houthi forces announced their bombardment of military targets in Um Al-Rashrash area with multiple ballistic missiles.

The Israeli army stated that it intercepted a ballistic missile that was heading towards the city of Eilat using the Arrow missile defense system.

December 8, 2023

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) stated that an entity declaring itself the Yemeni Authorities ordered a vessel south of the Red Sea to alter course.

December 10, 2023

The French Ministry of Armed Forces announced that a French frigate in the Red Sea downed two drones that were launched from Yemen and stated that the interception process took place 110 km off the coast of Yemen near the city of Hodeidah. A military exercise was conducted by the US Navy and Japanese Navy forces in the Gulf of Aden to raise the level of readiness in the face of threats and enhance navigation security. The USS Mason and the Japanese Akebono participated in the maneuver.

December 12, 2023

The Houthi military spokesman stated that the Yemeni Naval Forces targeted the Norwegian vessel, Strinda, with an anti-ship missile after it refused to heed warnings. UKMTO said that a fire broke out on the ship after targeting it. UKMTO stated that an entity declaring itself to be the Yemeni Navy ordered an attacked vessel to alter course to a Yemeni Port.

December 13, 2023

Associated Press said that an American warship shot down a drone near the Bab al-Mandab Strait. The drone was fired by the Houthi forces towards a Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker coming from India and sailing towards the Suez Canal. It was escorted by an armed crew.

The British Maritime Security Company, Ambrey, said that gunmen approached two vessels in the Red Sea off the port of Hodeidah and exchanged fire with a Malta-flagged commercial tanker, which was sailing 55 nautical miles off the coast of the Yemeni province of Hodeidah. They ordered the vessel to alter course while an international coalition warship advised it to continue on its route.

December 14, 2023

UKMTO said it received a report of an incident 50 miles away from the Bab al-Mandab Strait. A US Department of Defense official said that a missile fired from the Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen landed near a Hong Kong-flagged container ship. Houthi forces announced targeting Maersk Gibraltar bound for Israel with a drone after the crew of the vessel refused to heed the calls of the Yemeni Navy forces.

December 15, 2023

The British Maritime Security Company, Ambrey, said that the Liberian-flagged MSC Alanya was ordered to alter course towards Yemen by individuals on a boat who said they were from the Yemeni Navy and addressed the ship, saying, "Captain! You are not allowed to proceed northwards in the Red Sea. Alter your course southwards now." The incident occurred five nautical miles north of Mocha.

The Houthi forces announced targeting the MSC Alanya and MSC Palatium III with 3 naval missiles after the ships refused to heed the calls and warning shots of the naval forces.

A US Department of Defense official confirmed that the Liberian-flagged ship caught fire in the Red Sea after it was hit with a projectile fired from Yemen and that USS Mayson was on its way to the ship to provide assistance.

December 16, 2023

The US CENTCOM said that the US destroyer, Carney, engaged 14 offensive drones in the Red Sea, fired from the Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen. It confirmed that the downed drones did not cause damage to ships in the area.

British Defense Minister said that the British destroyer, HMS Diamond, fired a Sea Viper missile and destroyed a drone that was targeting merchant shipping.

December 23, 2023

The Houthis launched two anti-ship ballistic missiles on international shipping lines in the southern Red Sea from Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen. No ships were reported to be affected by the ballistic missiles.

Between 3:00 and 8:00 pm (Sana'a time), USS Laboon (DDG 58) was patrolling the southern Red Sea as part of Operation Prosperity Guardian (OPG) and shot down four drones launched from the Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen. The 4 UAVs were heading toward USS Laboon. There were no injuries or damage in this incident.

At approximately 8 p.m. (Sanaa time), U.S. Naval Forces Central Command received reports from two ships in the Southern Red Sea that they were under attack. The M/V BLAAMANEN, a Norwegian-flagged, owned, and operated chemical/oil tanker, reported a near miss of a Houthi one-way attack drone with no injuries or damage reported. A second vessel, the M/V SAIBABA, a Gabon-owned, Indian-flagged crude oil tanker, reported that it was hit by a one-way attack drone with no injuries reported. The USS LABOON (DDG 58) responded to the distress calls from these attacks.

December 24, 2023

Operation Prosperity Guardian, which Washington announced, shot down 4 drones launched by the Houthi group in Yemen towards the international shipping lanes in the Red Sea.

December 26, 2023

The UKMTO reported that a commercial vessel near the Bab al-Mandab Strait in the Red Sea monitored at least two suicide drones that exploded nearby but did not cause any damage.

The US Central Command announced that USS Laboon (DDG 58) and F/A-18 Super Hornets from the Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group shot down twelve one-way attack drones, three anti-ship ballistic missiles, and two cruise missiles in the Southern Red Sea.

December 28, 2023

USS Mason (DDG 87) shot down a drone and a ballistic missile. According to US Central Command, there was no damage to any of the 18 ships in the area or reported injuries.

Attacks on ships before the Gaza-Israel war

October 2016

The Saudi-led coalition announced that the Houthi (Ansar Allah) group targeted the commercial vessel, the Swift, in one of its usual voyages to and from Aden as it transited medical and relief aid and evacuated military and civilian casualties to get medical treatment abroad. The coalition pointed out that it intervened and evacuated civilian passengers.

2016

US Navy spokesperson announced that two missiles were fired from Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen towards an American warship, USS Mason, as it sailed in international waters off the coast of Yemen. According to the spokesperson, this was the first attack targeting an American navy warship in the region since the outbreak of the conflict with the Houthis and the intervention of the Saudi-led military coalition.

November 2019

The Houthi authorities announced that they seized three ships, one of them was the Saudi vessel Rabi' 3, in the southern Red Sea. The group said that the ship entered the territorial waters without prior notice and refused to heed the call of the Yemeni Navy in a "clear defiance to all international naval laws and a violation of Yemeni sovereignty," according to a statement issued by the Houthi group.

The Saudi-led coalition considered the incident "an act of armed hijacking" that constitutes "a real threat to international navigation and global trade, and a criminal precedent for the security of the Bab al-Mandab Strait," according to the official Saudi Press Agency at the time.

January 2022

The Houthis detained a UAE-flagged commercial vessel as it sailed off the coast of Yemen. In a tweet on X, Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea said that the ship was carrying "military equipment" and "entered Yemeni waters without any license." He explained that it was "engaged in hostile activities" and was referred to the judicial authorities. The Saudi-led coalition announced that the hijacked vessel, Rawabi, was on a mission voyage from Socotra Island to Jizan Port with a freight of equipment for a Saudi field hospital.