Houthis Attack Tanker As US Warship Downs Drone

Yemen’s Houthis fired two missiles that missed a commercial tanker carrying jet fuel and headed for the Suez Canal, Associated Press quoted a US official as saying.

A US Navy warship also shot down a suspected Houthi drone flying in its direction during the same incident, the official said. These incidents came after repeated threats to shipping issued by Houthi officials in the past two days. 

The tanker, Ardmore Encounter, was transporting Indian-made jet fuel apparently not destined for Israel. When Iran-backed Houthis began their attacks on vessels last month their declared targets were ships bound for Israel. However, recently they threatened all shipping passing through the Red Sea. The Ardmore is reportedly headed for Europe.

The Marshall Islands-flagged tanker was also threatened by skiffs loaded with men trying to board the vessel, AP reported. The tanker had armed guards on board who fired on the would-be hijackers and drove them off. The Ambrey private intelligence firm said that “No one boarded the vessel, and all crew members are safe and accounted for.”

Although Iran has avoided direct military involvement in the Gaza war despite its long-standing threats against Israel, its armed proxy forces in Iraq, Syria and Yemen have launched more than 90 attacks. US bases in the region and international shipping have been targets for Iran’s “Resistance Front.”