US destroys Houthi missile in Yemen after stunning rebel attack on British oil tanker

It was destroyed by American forces on Saturday Anti-ship missile A picture of Yemen's Houthi rebels ready to open fire, after the Iran-backed movement attacked a British oil tanker in the Gulf of Aden, in a strike that caused a massive fire.

The US Central Command in the region (Centcom) indicated that it attacked, early on Saturday, “an anti-ship missile targeting the Red Sea that was ready for launch.”

The Central Command added on the “X” social network, “The forces bombed the missile and destroyed it in self-defense.”

For its part, the internationally recognized Yemeni government confirmed that “defensive operations (American and British) are not the solution.”

The head of the Yemeni Presidential Council, Rashad Al-Alimi, who heads the Saudi-backed government, announced in Riyadh that “the solution is to eliminate the Houthis’ military capabilities.”

The Houthis, who control the Yemeni capital, Sanaa, announced on Friday that they had done so Launching “missiles” at a “British tanker” They added that the ship “Marlin Luanda” caught fire.

The company operating the ship, the giant trading group Trafigura, said in a statement: No casualties were reported The ship fire was extinguished only in the afternoon.

For his part, the rebel military spokesman, Yahya Saree, indicated in a statement that the attack had been carried out In solidarity with the Palestinian people And “in response to the British and American aggression against our country.”

The private company Embrey, which specializes in maritime risks, had previously reported that a commercial ship had been hit by a missile, which was confirmed by Central Command, noting that “the ship issued a distress call and reported damage.”

The Houthis' Al-Masirah TV also claimed on Saturday that the United States and the United Kingdom launched the attack Two air strikes Against Ras Issa port in Hodeidah Governorate, which includes the country's main oil export terminal.

Since mid-November, the Houthis have attacked what they consider ships linked to Israeli interests in the Red Sea, in solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza.

Their campaign disrupted shipping traffic and prompted the United States and Britain to carry out retaliatory attacks. The Houthis have since declared that the interests of these two forces are also legitimate targets.

The Iran-backed Houthis claim they have done so since November 19 More than 200 drones and 50 missiles were launched Against Western commercial ships and warships in the Red Sea with the aim of harming Israel economically and in support of the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

The tension in the region has caused major shipping companies in the world to continue to adjust their routes to avoid passing through this sea route, through which 8% of global grain trade, 12% of oil trade, and 8% of global trade in liquefied materials pass. natural gas.