Houthi Militant Strikes in Red Sea and Gulf of Aden Escalate Tensions

Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi movement launched attacks on U.S. destroyers and commercial ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. This disruption in crucial shipping channels has forced rerouting of cargo and heightened fears of broader Middle East instability amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.

Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi movement announced on Wednesday that it targeted the Contship Ono in the Red Sea and two U.S. destroyers in the nearby Gulf of Aden.

The Houthi air force reportedly used drones to attack the U.S. destroyer Cole and ballistic missiles on the U.S. destroyer Laboon. Additionally, the Liberia-flagged Contship Ono container ship was also targeted with ballistic missiles and drones, according to the group's military spokesperson Yahya Saree.

The Houthis have been launching regular drone and missile attacks in key shipping lanes of the Red Sea, Bab al-Mandab strait, and the Gulf of Aden since November to express support for Palestinians in the Gaza conflict. This has compelled shippers to reroute their cargo, increasing journey times and expenses, while also raising concerns about the potential spread of the Israel-Hamas war to destabilize the Middle East.

The intensity of these attacks appeared to lessen after Israel targeted military sites near Yemen's Hodeidah port on July 20, resulting in six fatalities and over 80 injuries, following a drone assault on Tel Aviv. The Yemeni group claimed a two-week hiatus in such attacks, resuming on August 4 by targeting the Liberia-flagged vessel MV Groton in the Gulf of Aden.

(With inputs from agencies.)