One month of United States-led strikes on the Ansar Allah (Houthi) sites had not stopped the group's missile and drone attacks on the Red Sea. Today, the Iran-backed Yemeni group said it targeted a U.S.-owned vessel, the Star Iris, while it sailed in waters off Yemen.
Yahya Saree, the Houthi military spokesman, said "a number of suitable naval missiles" were used to target the vessel, owned by the US-listed, Greece-based firm Star Bulk Carriers Corp.
He added that the attack came "in vindication of the oppressed Palestinian people, in support and solidarity with our brothers in the Gaza Strip".
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) confirmed that two missiles attacked a vessel at 00:35 GMT some 40 nautical miles (74km) south of (Mocha) in Yemen. There was no reported injury, and the vessel proceeded with its journey.
On January 12, the U.S. and U.K. began launching air raids on Houthi sites to degrade the group's missile and drone capabilities and prevent their attacks on the shipping lanes.
Saree also described today's missile attack as "retaliation to the American-British aggression on our country."
Since November, Sheba Intelligence has monitored the Red Sea conflict, documenting 125 Houthi attacks that were intercepted by the international coalition forces. The Houthi group used cruise missiles, anti-ship ballistic missiles, drones, and unmanned and manned surface boats.
The report also revealed that American-British forces attacked and destroyed about 69 sites for launching cruise and anti-ship ballistic missiles, centers for helicopters and drones, and radar sites.
While the group has been belittling the impact of the U.S.-UK strikes, it acknowledged on Friday the death of 17 officers and soldiers in the air raids.
On February 8, military sources told Sheba Intelligence that the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps has lost dozens of its experts in Yemen since the start of the U.S.-UK strikes on Houthi missile and drone launch centers.
Last week, Houthi officials said that the United States and Britain had "targeted Yemen with 300 raids" since the start of their attacks last month.
