Houthis Claim Responsibility for US Vessel Attacks

On Sunday, June 16th, Iran-backed Houthis claimed responsibility for attacks on two civilian ships and an American Destroyer in the Red Sea and Arabian Sea.

A Houthi spokesperson announced that they had fired ballistic missiles at the American Destroyer. He also reported attacks on two merchant vessels, Captain Paris and Happy Condor, using naval missiles and drones. It remains uncertain if any of these attacks were successful.

Captain Paris, a crude oil tanker registered under the Maltese flag, is managed by a Greek company. The vessel departed from the Suez Canal, Egypt on June 11th and is currently navigating the Red Sea. It was scheduled to arrive at Jizan Port, Saudi Arabia, on June 15th.

Happy Condor, an LPG tanker flying the Danish flag, is currently sailing in the Arabian Sea with a destination of Mesaieed, Qatar.

On June 16th, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) also reported an attack on a vessel 40 nautical miles south of Al Mukha, Yemen. The vessel's captain reported two explosions nearby. No casualties were reported, and the ship continued safely towards its next port of call.

The Iran-backed Houthis have continued their attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea as an expression of solidarity with the Palestinians in the Israel-Gaza conflict. These attacks have significantly disrupted the shipping industry, forcing companies to reroute from the Suez Canal to longer and more costly paths around the southern tip of Africa.