The Red Sea crisis began on 19 October 2023, when the Iran-backed Houthi movement in Yemen launched missiles and armed drones at Israel, demanding an end to the invasion of the Gaza Strip.[51][52] The Houthis have since seized and launched aerial attacks against dozens of merchant and naval vessels in the Red Sea, drawing hundreds of air strikes on missile sites and other targets by US and allied forces.[53] The crisis is linked to the Israel–Hamas war, the Iran–Israel proxy conflict, the Iran–United States proxy conflict, and the Yemeni crisis.[54][55][56]
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The Houthi movement's militants, who oppose Yemen's internationally recognized government, have since 2014 controlled a considerable swath of the country's territory along the Red Sea. Shortly after the beginning of the Israel–Hamas war, the Hamas-allied group began to launch missiles and drones at Israel. Houthi militants have also fired on various countries' merchant vessels in the Red Sea, and particularly in the Bab-el-Mandeb—the southern maritime gateway to the Suez Canal of Egypt and therefore a chokepoint of the global economy. The group has declared that they will not stop until Israel ceases its war on Hamas.[51][57]
The Houthis says they consider any Israel-linked ship as a target,[58][55][56] including US and UK warships, but they have also indiscriminately attacked the ships of many nations.[59][60] From October 2023 to March 2024, the Houthis attacked more than 60 vessels in the Red Sea.[61] To avoid attack, hundreds of commercial vessels have been rerouted to sail around South Africa.[62]
The Houthis' Red Sea attacks have drawn a military response from a number of countries. In January 2024, the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 2722, condemning the Houthi attacks and affirming freedom of navigation.[61] The United States-led Operation Prosperity Guardian was launched to protect Red Sea shipping. Since 12 January, the US and UK have led coalition air and missile strikes against the Houthis, while other countries are independently patrolling the waters near Yemen, attacking Houthi vessels in the Red Sea.[63] Undaunted, in May, Yemeni Armed Forces Brigadier General Yahya Saree said, "We will target any ships heading to Israeli ports in the Mediterranean Sea in any area we are able to reach".[64]
Background
Houthis within Yemen
The Houthi movement is an Iran-backed Zaydi Shia Islamist militant organization that exercises de facto control over parts of Yemen, though it is not the country's internationally recognized government; the Houthi takeover in Yemen in 2014 resulted in the group's acquisition of the capital city of Sanaa, but the anti-Houthi Presidential Leadership Council remains recognized by the international community as Yemen's legitimate government.[65] After this conflict grew into an ongoing civil war, millions of residents were internally displaced, and a Saudi-led coalition responded by imposing a blockade of Yemen. These combined to shrink the economy by half and contributed to famine in Yemen since 2016, one of the worst in the world.[66][67][68]
The US military destroyed drones in Yemen's Houthi-held region and over the Red Sea due to perceived threats, exacerbating tensions in the conflict-ridden area. This comes amidst ongoing attacks by the Houthis and challenges to diplomatic efforts to end the Yemeni war.[69]
Houthis and the Israel–Hamas war
Following the Hamas-led attack on Israel on 7 October 2023, which triggered the Israel–Hamas war, numerous Iran-backed militant groups across the Middle East (including the Houthis) expressed support for the Palestinians and threatened to attack Israel. Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi warned the United States against intervening in support of Israel, threatening that such an intervention would be met with retaliation by drone and missile strikes.[70] In order to end their attacks in the Red Sea, the Houthis demanded a ceasefire in the Israel–Hamas war and an end to the accompanying Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip.[71][72][57]
Weapons used by Houthi militants
According to Armament Research Services, Houthi weapons are mostly of Russian, Chinese or Iranian origin.[73][74] They are known to use surface-to-surface missiles, artillery rockets, loitering munitions and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).[75] They have several missiles and UAVs capable of reaching Israel from Yemen:
- Toufan – a surface-to-surface missile, with a range of 1,800 km (1,100 mi).[76]
- Cruise missiles – from the Iranian Soumar family, with strike ranges of about 2,000 km (1,200 mi).[76]
- Quds-2 missile – supposedly with a range of 1,350 km (840 mi) but made to strike Israel.[77]
- Samad-3 and Samad-4 – UAVs/loitering munitions with ranges of 1,800 km (1,100 mi) and further.[77]
- Wa'id drones – similar to Iran's Shahed 136, loitering munition with a range of 2,500 km (1,600 mi).[77]
- Naval drones – 7 metres (23 ft) unmanned surface vessels (USVs) laden with explosives.[78][79]
Timeline of events
Bab-el-Mandeb transits by cargo vessels
over 10,000 deadweight tonnage (approx.)[80]
Before attacks
After first Houthi ship seizure/attack (19 November 2023)
After naval protection operation started (18 December 2023)
After US/UK attack on Yemen mainland (12 January 2024)
 | It has been suggested that this section be split out into another article titled Timeline of the Red Sea crisis. (Discuss) (October 2024) |
October 2023
On 19 October 2023, US officials said the United States Navy destroyer USS Carney shot down three land-attack cruise missiles and several drones heading toward Israel launched by the Houthis in Yemen. This was the first action by the US military to defend Israel since the outbreak of the war.[70] It was later reported that the ship shot down four cruise missiles and 15 drones.[81] Another missile was reportedly intercepted by Saudi Arabia.[82] More were intercepted by Israel's Arrow anti-ballistic missiles; others fell short of their targets or were intercepted by the Israeli Air Force and the French Navy.
On 27 October 2023 two loitering munitions were fired in a northerly direction from the southern Red Sea. According to Israel Defense Forces (IDF) officials, their target was Israel, but they did not cross the border from Egypt. Of the two drones, one fell short and hit a building adjacent to a hospital in Taba, Egypt, injuring six; the other was shot down near an electricity plant close to the town of Nuweiba, Egypt.[83][84][85] A Houthi official later made a one-word post on Twitter after the drone crashed in Taba, mentioning the nearby Israeli city of Eilat.[86]
On 31 October an alert was triggered in Eilat, Eilot kibbutz and the Shahorit industrial park area regarding the penetration of hostile aircraft from the Red Sea. The aircraft was successfully intercepted over the Red Sea. The Arrow system intercepted a ballistic missile and the Air Force intercepted several cruise missiles fired from the Red Sea toward Eilat. The Houthis took responsibility for the launches.[87] One cruise missile was shot down by an F-35i Adir jet.[88] The downing of the missile by the Arrow system marks the first time it has been used in the Israel–Hamas war.[89] According to Israeli officials, the interception occurred above Earth's atmosphere above the Negev Desert, making it the first instance of space warfare in history.[90]
November 2023
On 1 November at 00:45 the IDF intercepted an air threat fired from Yemen and identified south of Eilat.[91] A US MQ-9 Reaper drone was shot down off the coast of Yemen by Houthi air defences on 8 November; the Pentagon previously said that MQ-9 drones were flying over Gaza in an intelligence gathering role to aid in the hostage recovery efforts.[92] On 9 November, the Houthis fired a missile toward the city of Eilat.[93] The missile was intercepted by an Arrow 3 missile, marking the first time it was used in an interception.[94]
On 14 November the Houthis fired numerous missiles, one of which was aimed toward the city of Eilat. The missile was intercepted by an Arrow missile according to Israeli officials.[95] The following day, US officials said that USS Thomas Hudner shot down a drone, fired from Yemen, that was headed toward it.[96] On 22 November, the Houthis fired a cruise missile aimed toward the city of Eilat. Israeli officials said the missile was successfully shot down by an F-35.[97] On 23 November 2023, US officials said that the destroyer USS Thomas Hudner had shot down several attack drones launched from Yemen.[98]
On 29 November 2023 US officials said the US Navy destroyer USS Carney shot down a Houthi KAS-04 drone as the destroyer approached the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait.[99] On 30 November 2023, Saudi media reported that an Israeli airstrike caused an explosion at a Houthi arms depot in Sana'a, the capital of Yemen. Houthi officials denied the report, stating that a gas station was hit instead. A member of the Houthis' political bureau, Hezam al-Asad, said that the explosion was caused by the remnants of a bomb left over from the Yemeni civil war.[100][101]
December 2023
On 6 December 2023, the Houthi movement launched several ballistic missiles at Israeli military posts in Eilat. On the same day, USS Mason shot down a drone launched from Yemen. There were no clear indications of its target.[102]
On 10 December 2023, the French Navy's frigate Languedoc, operating in the Red Sea, intercepted two drones launched from Hodeida, a Houthi-held port.[103] On 11 December 2023, the Norwegian oil tanker Strinda, fell victim to an overnight air attack, causing a fire on board.[101] The Languedoc intervened once again, intercepted a Houthi drone targeting the damaged tanker and subsequently placed itself in the protection of the vessel, preventing further attacks. The fire was brought under control and no injuries were reported. The vessel was then escorted to the Gulf of Aden out of the threat zone by an American destroyer, USS Mason.[13][104] The US Navy reportedly shot down 14 drones on 16 December 2023,[105] while Egyptian Air Defense Forces intercepted an object flying near Dahab.[106]
On 14 December 2023, India initiated Operation Sankalp to ensure the security of the regional maritime domain.[107] The destroyer INS Kolkata was stationed in the Gulf of Aden for maritime security on 18 December. The destroyer INS Kochi was already deployed in the region to counter Somali pirates, although the Government of India remains silent about its involvement in Operation Prosperity Guardian.[19]
By 21 December 2023, the port of Eilat, which gives Israel via the Red Sea its only easy shipping access to Asia without the need to transit the Suez Canal, had seen an 85% drop in activity due to the Houthi action.[108]
On 26 December 2023, Houthis said they carried out drone attacks on Eilat and other parts of Israel.[109] The US shot down 12 drones and 5 missiles fired by them, and the IDF said they also shot down a projectile launched from Yemen, targeting Israel, over the Red Sea, off the coast of the Sinai Peninsula.[110] On 26 December, India deployed the destroyers INS Mormugao and Visakhapatnam in the Arabian Sea after an Israel-affiliated merchant vessel was struck off the Indian coast. The navy was investigating the nature of the attack on the vessel, MV Chem Pluto, which docked in Mumbai on Monday, and initial reports pointed to a drone attack, a navy statement said. The Pentagon said on Saturday that a drone launched from Iran struck the Chem Pluto in the Indian Ocean. The Foreign Ministry of Iran denied the US accusations and called them "baseless". The vessel's crew included 21 Indians and 1 Vietnamese citizen.[111][112][113]
January 2024
On 4 January, just hours after the warning, Houthis launched an unmanned surface vessel (USV) towards US Navy and commercial vessels, but it detonated well over 1 nautical mile (1.9 km; 1.2 mi) from the ships.[114]
On 7 January, the Houthi movement stated that retaliatory attacks against the US Navy would continue unless the US hands over the Navy servicemembers who killed the 10 Houthi attack boat personnel for them to stand trial in Yemen.[115] On 7 January, the Pakistan Navy deployed two Tughril-class frigates, PNS Tughril and Taimur in the Arabian Sea following "recent incidents of maritime security."[citation needed]
On 10 January, a large-scale attack was initiated by the Houthis against USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, USS Gravely, USS Laboon, USS Mason and HMS Diamond, in which at least 21 UAVs and missiles were launched.[116]
On 11 January, US Navy SEALs raided a ship off the coast of Somalia which was bound to Houthi militants. Iranian-made missile components and other weapons, including air defense parts, were seized from the ship. The ship was then sunk and its crew of 14 people were detained. During the raid, a SEAL was pushed into the water by high waves and one of his teammates jumped in after him, causing both of them to go missing.[117][118] Both SEALs were declared dead by the US military after a 10-day search failed to locate them.[30]
On 12 January, the US and UK conducted airstrikes against over a dozen Houthi targets in Yemen with the support of multiple other countries,[119][120] just hours after the group's leader vowed that any American attack on its forces would "not go without a response".[121] The strikes were the first time Houthi targets in Yemen were targeted since the beginning of the Red Sea crisis.[122] More than 150 munitions and Tomahawk missiles struck 28 locations within Houthi-controlled areas. The Houthis said five of their fighters were killed and six others were injured.[123] A day later, the US performed another strike on a Houthi radar site in Sanaa.[124] On 14 January, American and British airstrikes were reported in Hodeida, and spy planes were reportedly spotted near the area. Reports also suggested that Israel was involved in the attacks.[125][126] The US issued a denial the same day.[127]
On 14 January, Houthis fired an anti-ship cruise missile from Hodeida in the direction of USS Laboon. The missile was shot down by a fighter jet before it could cause damage.[128]
On 16 January, the US struck four Houthi anti-ship ballistic missiles as they were being prepared to target ships in the Red Sea.[129] The following day, a fourth round of US strikes hit 14 missiles across Houthi-controlled areas.[130][131] On 22 January, in the eighth round of strikes against Houthis, the US and UK conducted airstrikes against eight Houthi targets in the vicinity of Sanaa airfield.[132][133]
On 21 January 2024, the French frigate Alsace joined defence operations in the Red Sea after transitting through the Suez Canal, reinforcing French assets deployed in the area in the face of Houthi attacks against international shipping.[134][135][136]
On 24 January, Houthi claimed to have attacked US destroyers and other warships in the Red Sea. This attack supposed to be in response to Operation Poseidon Archer. Houthi claimed to have directly hit a US destroyer with a missile during the attack.[137][better source needed] This attack was denied by the United States government.[138]
On the night of 26 to 27 January, the French frigate Alsace came to the aid of an oil tanker on fire in the Gulf of Aden, alongside Indian and American destroyers INS Visakhapatnam and USS Carney. The fire suffered by the Marlin Luanda tanker was caused by a missile fired from Yemen. It was brought under control after 20 hours, with no casualties sustained.[139][136]
On 29 January, Danish frigate HDMS Iver Huitfeldt departed from the Korsør naval base for the Red Sea to assist the US-led coalition in safeguarding commercial traffic against Houthi attacks.[140] On 31 January, top European Union diplomat Josep Borrell announced that the bloc plans to start a naval mission to protect merchant shipping in the Red Sea within the following three weeks, and officials stated that seven EU member states were prepared to provide military equipment.[141] An adviser to Borrell stated that the mission's launch date should be 19 February. Borrell added that the mission would be called 'Aspides', which translates to 'protector'.[142]
February 2024
On 2 February, the Houthis claimed that they had fired a ballistic missile towards Eilat. The IDF also said that the Arrow defense system intercepted a missile over the Red Sea.[143] On 3 February, a day after conducting airstrikes in Iraq and Syria, the US and UK conducted strikes against 36 Houthi sites, which included underground facilities, UAV storage and operation sites, missile systems, radars, and helicopters in 13 different locations across Houthi-controlled parts of Yemen in an attempt to degrade their capabilities. Houthi official Mohammed Al-Bukhaiti stated that they would "meet escalation with escalation" in response to the bombings.[144]
On 8 February, the German frigate Hessen departed from Wilhelmshaven for the Red Sea with about 240 people on board in order to assist the upcoming EU mission.[145]
On 10 February, Houthi official media listed the names of 17 fighters that were killed during joint US–UK strikes. The announcement came following public funerals held in Sanaa.[146]
On 15 February, the US Army announced that the Coast Guard seized a vessel originating from Iran and was bound for Houthi-controlled Yemen on 28 January. The US Army said the vessel was carrying advanced weapons and other "lethal aid". It had more than 200 packages containing ballistic missile and naval drone components, explosives, communications gear, and anti-tank missile launcher parts.[147]
On 19 February, the European Union announced the start of the naval mission Operation Aspides, which plans to send warships and provide early airborne warning systems to the Red Sea and surrounding waters. The launch was confirmed by Italian Foreign Affairs Minister Antonio Tajani. France, Germany, Italy and Belgium all announced their intention to contribute to the operation. Operation Aspides will be headquartered in Larissa, Greece. The operation is not allowed to attack pre-emptively, and will only fire on Houthis if they attack first.[148] The operation will only operate at sea, and will not conduct or participate in military strikes.[149] The same day, Houthis claimed they shot down an MQ-9 Reaper drone over the Red Sea. US officials confirmed the incident, adding that the drone belonged to the US Air Force and crashed off the coast of Hodeidah.[150]
On 20 February, France announced that one of its warships shot down two Houthi UAVs over the Red Sea, while CENTCOM announced the downing of ten bomb-carrying drones and a cruise missile targeting the USS Laboon.[151] Houthis claimed that they attacked Eilat and a number of American warships in the Red Sea and Arabian Sea with drones.[152]
On the morning of 22 February, two UAVs targeting commercial vessels in the Red Sea were stated to have been intercepted yet again by one of the French FREMM frigates in the area.[153][154] Later that day, the Houthis' Humanitarian Operations Coordination Center sent statements to shipping insurers and firms announcing a formal ban on vessels owned or partially owned by Israeli, British, or American entities or individuals in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, and Arabian Sea. The ban also included vessels sailing under the flags of the mentioned nations.[155][156] The statement came as the Houthis launched drones and ballistic missiles targeting Eilat and an American destroyer in the Red Sea, though none of them struck their target according to authorities. However, the Houthis successfully fired two missiles at a Palau-flagged cargo ship named Islander which sparked a fire and wounded one sailor on board the vessel, though the ship continued its transportation route.[157] Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi also said in a statement that operations in the Red Sea and surrounding waters were continuing, escalating and effective, and announced the introduction of "submarine weapons" without giving further details.[158]
On 24 February, the US and UK conducted their fourth round of joint airstrikes, hitting 18 Houthi targets across eight locations. The British Ministry of Defense said that four Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter jets, supported by two Voyager tankers, participated in the strikes.[159] The Houthis' official news agency said the attacks killed a civilian and injured eight others, making them the first civilian casualties during US and British airstrikes.[160]
On 26 February, damages were reported to Red Sea undersea communications cables. Initial reports by industry sources, African press, and Israeli press, tied this to Houthi attacks that was predicted by international press, while Seacom was unable to confirm the cause, they later confirmed the location of the damage to be in Yemeni maritime jurisdictions.[161] Press releases by Seacom and Flag Telecom were describing the difficulty of repair due to the crisis in shipping.[162][163] Houthi leaders denied involvement.[164] The same day, Greece approved a decision to send the Greek frigate Hydra to the Red Sea to assist Operation Aspides.[165] Also on 26 February, the German frigate Hessen launched two SM-2 missiles at an American Reaper drone in a friendly fire incident. The missiles missed their target, falling into the sea.[166]
On 27 February, Houthi leader Mohammed al-Houthi said they will only allow a salvage operation to take place if humanitarian aid is sent to Gaza Strip.[167] On the same day, German frigate Hessen intercepted two Houthi drones as they targeted the naval vessel, making it the German Navy's first naval engagement of Operation Aspides.[168] The Hessen downed one drone with her 76mm cannon and a second with her CIWS system.[169] The Rubymar, which was struck by the Houthis earlier in February started sinking while drifting northwards[170] and sank by 2 March 2024.
March 2024
On 2 March, during Operation Aspides, the Italian destroyer Caio Duilio shot down a Houthi missile over the Red Sea. The missile was within 4 miles (6.4 km) of the destroyer before it was shot down.[171]
On 4 March, Houthi Telecommunications Minister Misfer Al-Numair said that vessels entering Yemeni waters would need a permit from the Houthi-controlled Maritime Affairs Authority.[172]
On 4 March 2024, INS Kolkata, deployed to the Gulf of Aden, responded to a request from MSC Sky II, a Liberian flagged container vessel, that had reportedly been attacked by a drone or missile, at about 1900 h (IST) on 4 March 24, 90 nm southeast of Aden. The ship's master reported smoke and flames onboard following the attack. INS Kolkata was quickly redirected to provide the required support, and by 2230 hours (IST), it had reached the incident site. The Kolkata then escorted the ship from the area of the incident into the territorial seas of Djibouti at the master's request. Early on 5 March, a 12-person specialised firefighting team from Kolkata boarded the Sky II and extinguished the remaining fires. In addition, an explosive ordnance disposal team boarded the Sky II to evaluate residual risk. The 23-person crew, 13 of whom were citizens of India, were safe, and the ship continued sailing towards its next destination.[173][174][175]
On 8 March, Finland announced they will send up to five officers to the European-led Operation Aspides and up to two soldiers to take part in the US-led Operation Prosperity Guardian.[176] The Royal Netherlands Navy also confirmed the same day that it would be sending the De Zeven Provinciën-class frigate HNLMS Tromp to the Red Sea. The frigate would be a part of Operation Prosperity Guardian but also support Operation Aspides. The frigate is manned with 200 sailors. She has a NH90 maritime attack helicopter on board and is equipped to intercept incoming missiles and drones. The Netherlands also announced its intent to send a joint logistics support vessel to the Red Sea in the following month.[177]
On 9 March, the French FREMM Alsace patrolling the Gulf of Aden under the newly launched EU Aspides mission, as well as French Mirage 2000-5 stationed in Djibouti, intercepted 4 Houthi UAVs threatening commercial transit that day.[178]
On 11 March, the US and UK conducted 17 airstrikes against port cities and towns under Houthi control in Western Yemen. Among the targets struck were Hodeidah and the port of Ras Isa. A spokesperson for the internationally recognized Yemeni government said the strikes killed 11 people and injured 14 others.[28]
On 12 March, the Italian Ministry of Defense reported that the Duilio had shot down two Houthi drones in self-defense.[179]
On 14 March, the Russian state news agency RIA Novosti reported that the Houthis claimed to have a hypersonic missile, citing an unnamed official and no evidence.[180]
On 18 March, Yemeni Houthis launched a cruise missile that successfully struck Israel, reportedly hitting an open area north of Eilat. Israel stated there was no damage or injuries caused.[181]
On 20 March, the embarked Panther helicopter of the French FREMM Alsace shot down a Houthi UAV flying towards commercial vessels over the southern Red Sea. The door gunner of the helicopter, which was patrolling in the area, engaged and destroyed the UAV with a 7.62 mm machine gun.[182][183] The same day, a US Navy sailor assigned to the USS Mason went missing while conducting supporting operations in the Red Sea. On 23 March, the US Department of Defense declared him as dead, stating that his death occurred in a non-combat incident.[31]
On the morning of 21 March, the embarked helicopter of the German frigate Hessen destroyed a seaborne drone (USV) in the Red Sea. Later that day, the French FREMM Alsace, providing close protection to merchant shipping in the area, engaged and destroyed 3 Houthi ballistic missiles threatening the transit with its Aster 30 missiles.[184][185][186] The same day, Bloomberg had reported that the Houthis reached a deal with Russia and China, agreeing to provide safe passage for vessels under their jurisdiction in exchange for political support.[187] The IDF also announced on the same day that it intercepted a "suspicious aerial target" approaching Israeli territory over the Red Sea.[188]
On 27 March, the US Navy said it shot down four Houthi UAVs targeting warships in the Red Sea.[189] The following day, several Russian Pacific Fleet warships navigated into the Red Sea via the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, including the Russian cruiser Varyag and the Russian frigate Marshal Shaposhnikov according to Zvezda.[190][191] This was reportedly after the Houthis made a political deal with Russia and China, allowing them safe passage possibly in exchange for blocking resolutions at the UN Security Council.[192]
April 2024
On 3 April, Danish chief of defense Flemming Lentfer was fired after failing to report flaws regarding air defenses and weapons systems aboard the Ivar Huitfeldt frigate which emerged after a Houthi attack in March, when the frigate's air defenses failed while engaging with Houthis. A problem also occurred with the frigate's ammunition system, which caused half of the rounds it fired to detonate before hitting their target.[193]
In April, Tim Lenderking, the United States special envoy for Yemen, stated that he hoped to achieve a diplomatic solution with the Yemeni Houthis in regard to their attacks, and that the US would consider removing the Houthis from its designated terrorist list if they ceased their attacks.[194]
On 9 April, the IDF used a seaborne missile from the INS Magen to shoot down a UAV for the first time. The UAV, which came from the Red Sea, breached Israeli airspace and crossed into the area of the Gulf of Aqaba, setting off sirens in Eilat.[195][196]
On 10 April, the US military said it destroyed eleven drones belonging to the Houthis which it said presented a threat to US, coalition, and merchant vessels. Eight of the drones were destroyed in Houthi-controlled territory, while three were shot down; two over the Gulf of Aden and another over the Red Sea.[197]
On 13 April, the Houthis in coordination with Iran launched several drones at Israel amidst the Iranian strikes against Israel, according to the maritime security agency Ambrey. The organization said that the target of the drones are potentially Israeli ports, and that collateral damage to shipping is likely.[198] The following day, the IDF's C-Dome system intercepted an aerial target in the Eilat area, which came from the direction of the Red Sea.[199]
On 18 April, the Iranian spy ship MV Behshad, which is suspected of assisting the Houthis, left its position at sea and started to sail towards the port of Bandar Abbas.[200]
On 25 April, a Greek frigate intercepted two Houthi drones in the Red Sea.[201]
On 26 April, the Houthis said they shot down an American MQ-9 Reaper drone off the coast of Yemen. The US confirmed the crash of an MQ-9 Reaper in the area and launched an investigation into it.[202]
May 2024
In early May, Houthi-run Saba News Agency reported that at least 18 people were arrested on suspicions of spying for the US and Israel. According to Saba, the supposed spy network was formed in November. Saba did not provide evidence to support the claim, but said that the men had confessed to spying.[203]
On 7 May, USS Dwight D. Eisenhower returned to Red Sea after a short port call in late April at Souda Bay, Crete to resupply.[204]
On 10 May, a coalition warplane intercepted a Houthi drone over the Gulf of Aden. The following day, three other drones were intercepted over the Red Sea. No casualties or damage to shipping were reported in borh incidents.[205]
On 15 May, the Houthis claimed to have shot down a MQ-9 Reaper drone near Marib, later releasing footage of its purported downing. The US military however declined to comment.[206] On 21 May, the Houthis claimed to have shot down another MQ-9 Reaper drone, stating it crashed in Al Bayda Governorate.[207]
On 29 May, the Houthis claimed that they shot down an MQ-9 Reaper drone with a surface-to-air missile over Marib province. Footage obtained by the Associated Press displayed a damaged drone, however it remained mostly intact and lacked signs of blast damage. It also lacked markings, and the downing was not acknowledged by local authorities. Associated Press reported that a USAF official denied the loss of aircraft on the theater, meanwhile the CIA that operates those drones refused to comment.[208]
On 30 May, the US and UK conducted strikes against 13 Houthi targets across Yemen, killing 16 people and injuring at least 35 others.[209] The Houthis on the next day threatened to escalate their attacks in response and claimed to have targeted the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower with drones and ballistic missiles. An American defence official told The Associated Press that the ship was in fine condition.[210] The US Central Command meanwhile reported that the Houthis launched two anti-ship ballistic missiles and a drone over the Gulf of Aden, with the drone being intercepted and the missiles not causing any damage. In addition, it stated that they also launched four drones over the Red Sea, with three being intercepted and one crashing into the water.[211]
June 2024
The Houthis targeted the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, USS Gravely, and three commercial vessels on 1 June. The US Central Command confirmed the attacks, while adding that no casualties or damage was reported, with one drone being intercepted in the southern Red Sea and two others crashing into the water. It also added that it had shot down two anti-ship ballistic missiles targeting USS Gravely.[212][213]
On 3 June, the IDF's Arrow defense system intercepted a surface-to-air missile aimed at Eilat from the direction of the Red Sea.[214] The Houthis later claimed that they were targeting an IDF site with a ballistic missile named Palestine.[215] On 6 June, the group and the Islamic Resistance in Iraq claimed to have launched two coordinated attacks on Haifa. Israel however denied these claims. The Houthis later stated that they would intensify their joint operations with the Islamic Resistance in Iraq.[216]
On 6 June, at least eleven Yemeni UN workers were arrested by the Houthis. Four days later, the group claimed that they had arrested an undisclosed number of members of an "American-Israeli spy network" that disguised itself as international and UN organizations, and aired purported confessions from ten Yemenis, claiming that several of them were recruited by the U.S. Embassy in Yemen. None of the people in the taped confessions however were among the UN workers arrested four days earlier.[217]
The Houthi-run Al-Masirah television channel on 7 June reported that the US and the UK had carried out four airstrikes on the Hodeida International Airport and the Port of Salif, in addition to two airstrikes on the al-Thawra region to the north of Sana'a. No casualties were reported, while neither the US and UK confirmed the attacks.[218] Separately, the US Armed Forces stated that they had destroyed a drone in the Bab-el-Mandeb strait launched from the Houthi-ruled area and a Houthi patrol boat in the Red Sea.[219]
The Houthis on 9 June claimed to have targeted the British destroyer HMS Diamond in the Red Sea with ballistic missiles. The British Ministry of Defence however denied the claim as untrue.[220]
CNN on 11 June published a report citing three American officials stating that American intelligence agencies believed the Houthis were discussing amongst themselves about arming the Somali militant group Al-Shabaab, and officials were investigating whether any weapon deliveries had been made or if Iran was involved.[221] The U.S. Central Command meanwhile stated that the U.S. military had destroyed two missile launchers used by the Houthis.[222]
On 12 June, the Houthis claimed joint attacks with the Islamic Resistance in Iraq on sites in Ashdod and Haifa.[223] On 13 June, the U.S. Central Command stated that it had destroyed two Houthi patrol boats, an unmanned surface vessel and a drone in the Red Sea over the past day.[224] The Houthis meanwhile stated that the U.S. and UK had carried out two airstrikes on the government complex in the Al Jabin District of the Raymah Governorate, killing two people and wounding nine. The group also claimed that the two countries had carried out 22 airstrikes on Sanaa, Al Hudaydah and Raymah governorates over the past week.[225]
On 15 June, the US Central Command stated that its military had destroyed seven Houthi radar systems in Yemen that enabled the group to locate and target merchant vessels. It also claimed that a Houthi UAV and two USVs in the Red Sea were destroyed simultaneously.[226][227] The Houthis claimed to have targeted an American destroyer on the next day.[228]
On 17 June, Al-Masirah reported that the US and the UK had carried out at least six airstrikes on the Hodeida International Airport and four on the island of Kamaran.[229] Associated Press journalists who were given an on-board tour of the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower meanwhile found no signs of damages.[230] Al-Masirah on 19 June claimed that the US and the UK carried out three airstrikes on sites located in Al-Taif area of Ad Durayhimi District in Al Hudaydah Governorate,[231] and four airstrikes on the government complex in Al Jabin District of Raymah Governorate.[232]
The Houthis on 22 June again claimed to have targeted the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower in the Red Sea, however Reuters cited two U.S. officials who denied the claim.[233] The ship meanwhile ended its tour and was ordered to return home, being replaced by the USS Theodore Roosevelt. The US Central Command also stated that it had destroyed three Houthi uncrewed surface vessels in the Red Sea over the past day,[234] while the Houthis had also fired three anti-ship ballistic missiles over the Gulf of Aden, however none of the military or commercial vessels reported any casualties or significant damage.[235]
On 23 June, the Houthis claimed to have carried out a joint attack with the Islamic Resistance in Iraq on four ships in the Haifa port. There was however no confirmation from the IDF or independent sources.[236] The IDF on 26 June stated that a drone crashed into the sea near Eilat, with the Islamic Resistance in Iraq claiming responsibility.[237] The U.S. Central Command on 28 June stated that its forces had destroyed seven drones and a UAV ground control station in Houthi-controlled territory over the past day.[238]
July 2024
The Houthis on 2 July stated that they had carried out a joint operation with the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, claiming to have attacked a "vital target" in Haifa with a number of missiles.[239] The Operation Aspides mission stated that two UAVs were destroyed by the Greek frigate Psara in the Gulf of Aden on 7 July.[18]
The IDF stated that it had shot down a suspected UAV heading towards Israel from the Red Sea on 8 July. The Houthis later claimed to have carried out a joint attack along with the Islamic Resistance in Iraq on Eilat using a number of drones.[240]
On 7 July 2024, the port of Eilat's CEO said there had been no activity at the port in the past eight months, and he was requesting financial assistance from the Israeli government. A few days later the CEO said the port was in a state of bankruptcy.[241][242]
Al-Masirah stated that the U.S. and the U.K. on 11 July launched five airstrikes, hitting targets in the Ras Isa area located to the northwest of Al Hudaydah.[243] The U.S. Central Command meanwhile stated that it destroyed five Houthi USVs and two UAVs in the Red Sea, and another UAV in Houthi-controlled territory.[244] On 12 July, it stated that it had destroyed three UAVs in Houthi-controlled territory.[245] Al-Masirah meanwhile reported that the U.S. and U.K. had carried out three airstrikes on the Hodeida International Airport.[246]
Al-Masirah reported on 14 July that the U.S. and U.K. carried out an airstrike in the Midi District of Hajjah Governorate, two airstrikes on the Hodeida International Airport, and also struck the al-Buhaisi area in Al Hudaydah Governorate. The Operation Aspides mission meanwhile stated that the Psara shot down a suspected Houthi drone in the Gulf of Aden.[247][248] The U.S. Central Command stated that the U.S. military had destroyed two Houthi UAVs and one USV in the Red Sea, in addition to destroying another UAV in territory controlled by the group. The Houthis during the day stated that they had attacked military targets in Eilat with UAVs in retaliation for the Israeli attack on Al-Mawasi the previous day.[249]
On 15 July, the UAE-based news network Al-Ain reported that the Houthis had lost contact with a large vessel smuggling foreign personnel and missile equipment to Al Hudaydah, and had entered their third day of searching for the ship using reconnaissance UAVs and patrol ships.[250][251]
On 19 July, an explosion caused by a Yemeni UAV in Tel Aviv killed one person and wounded at least ten others near the U.S. consulate.[252][253][43] A ballistic missile and three other UAVs were also reportedly fired at the city, but were intercepted by the U.S.[254] The Houthis later claimed responsibility for the attack, stating that they used a drone called "Jaffa" which was capable of evading radar and interception systems,[255][256] and added that they would continue to target Tel Aviv as a primary target within their operational range.[257] According to an investigation by the IDF, the UAV had initially been detected by its radar systems, but was not consistently tracked due to human error and multiple layers of radar surveillance.[258]
On 20 July, Israel carried out several airstrikes on infrastructure in Al Hudaydah, with Al Masirah reporting that Israeli jets targeted oil refining facilities at the Hudaydah Port and a power plant, killing at least three people and wounding 87 others, while IDF stated that it had struck a facility used for storing and distributing weapons.[259][260][261] More than 220 projectiles had been launched by the Houthis on Israel by 20 July according to the IDF.[262]
On 21 July, the IDF stated that it had intercepted a surface-to-surface missile launched from Yemen. Rocket and missile sirens meanwhile sounded in Eilat,[263] however the IDF said that the city was not targeted and denied reports of an explosion.[264] The Houthis claimed that they had targeted Eilat with several missiles.[265] Al-Masirah meanwhile reported that the U.S. and the U.K. had carried out two airstrikes on Buhais area in Hajjah Governorate and four airstrikes on Ras Isa in Al Hudaydah Governorate.[266]
Abdul-Malik al-Houthi on 21 July stated that the Israeli airstrikes would lead to an escalation of Houthi attacks on Israel, adding that they would continue supporting Palestinians and would move to a new level of attacks in future.[267] The group described the attack on Tel Aviv as the beginning of the fifth phase of their attacks.[268]
Al-Masirah on 26 July reported that the U.S. and the U.K. carried out four airstrikes on Kamaran island.[269] On the next day, it reported that the two countries had carried out four airstrikes on the Hodeida International Airport, which according to residents struck Houthi targets.[270]
CNN reported in August 2024 that Russia was planning to ship weapons to Houthis in late-July 2024, in retaliation for the US supporting Ukraine during Russia's invasion of the country, but refrained from doing after being warned by Saudi Arabia, who was also requested by the US to pressure Russia.[271]
August 2024
On 3 August, the US Central Command announced that US forces had destroyed a Houthi missile and launcher.[272] The group later stated that it had shot down a MQ-9 Reaper drone in the Saada Governorate, publishing a video purportedly showing its wreckage. The US Defense Department stated that it was investigating the claim.[273]
On 5 August, the US Central Command stated that the US military had destroyed three Houthi UAVs over the Gulf of Aden; a UAV in Houthi-controlled territory; and a UAV, a USV and an anti-ship ballistic missile in the Red Sea.[274] On the following day, it stated that the US military had destroyed one Houthi UAV and two anti-ship ballistic missiles over the Red Sea.[275]
On 7 August, the Houthis stated that they had targeted the U.S. destroyers USS Cole and USS Laboon; however, a U.S. official denied the claim.[276] The US Central Command meanwhile stated that American forces had destroyed two Houthi UAVs, a ground control station and three antiship cruise missiles in the territory controlled by Houthis over the past day. It also stated that the group was mounting a campaign of disinformation to forment unrest in the region.[277]
On 8 August, the US Central Command said that the US forces destroyed two Houthi antiship cruise missiles and a ground control station in Houthi-controlled territory, as well as a Houthi USV in the Red Sea over the past day.[278] Al-Masirah on 12 August reported that a UAV operated by the US-led coalition carried out an airstrike on Kamaran island.[279]
On 14 August, the US Central Command announced that the US military had destroyed two Houthi vessels over the past day.[280] Al-Masirah on 15 August reported that the US and the UK carried out an airstrike on As Salif District.[281] The US Central Command meanwhile stated that the US military had destroyed a Houthi ground control station in territory controlled by the group.[282]
On 16 August, the US Central Command said that the US military had destroyed a Houthi USV in the Red Sea over the past day.[283] On 18 August, it stated that the US military had destroyed a Houthi UAV in the area controlled by the group over the past day.[284] Al-Masirah on 21 August stated that the US and the UK had carried out three airstrikes in the As Salif District.[285]
On 21 August, the US Central Command stated that the US forces had destroyed a Houthi radar system and surface-to-air missile in the area controlled by Houthis.[286] On the following day, it stated that the US military had destroyed two Houthi UAVs over the Red Sea and another in Houthi-controlled territory.[287] A French destroyer which was part of the Operation Aspides mission meanwhile destroyed a Houthi USV targeting the drifting oil tanker Sounion.[288][289]
On 23 August, the US Central Command stated that the US forces had destroyed a Houthi missile system in Houthi-controlled territory.[290] On 29 August it stated that the US forces had destroyed a Houthi missile system and UAV over the past day in territory controlled by the group.[291] On the following day, it stated that the US forces had destroyed two Houthi UAVs in territory controlled by the group.[292] On 31 August, it stated that US forces had destroyed a Houthi UAV and USV in territory controlled by the group.[293]
September 2024
On 2 September, the US Central Command stated that the US forces had destroyed two Houthi missile systems in Houthi-controlled territory over the past day.[294] On the following day, it stated that the US forces had destroyed another Houthi missile system.[295] On 7 September, it stated that the US forces had destroyed a Houthi UAV and a support vehicle in Houthi-controlled territory over the past day.[296]
On 8 September, the Houthis claimed that they destroyed a US MQ-9 Reaper drone over the Marib Governorate. Al-Masirah meanwhile reported that multiple air strikes were carried out by the US-led coalition in the vicinity of Ibb.[297] The US Central Command meanwhile stated that the US forces had destroyed three Houthi UAVs and two missile systems in Houthi-controlled territory over the past day.[298] On the following day, Al-Masirah reported that the U.S. and U.K.-led coalition carried out airstrikes which struck a location in the al-Jabanah area of Al Hudaydah.[299]
On 10 September, the US Central Command stated that the US forces had destroyed two Houthi missile systems and a support vehicle in Houthi-controlled territory, as well as a Houthi UAV above the Red Sea over the past day.[300] The Houthis meanwhile claimed that they had shot down another US MQ-9 Reaper drone over the Saada Governorate.[301] Al-Masirah claimed that an airstrike by the US and UK-led coalition struck a suspected military base near a girls' school in Al-Janad area of Taiz Governorate, causing a stampede which killed two students and injured at least ten others.[300]
On 11 September, the US Central Command stated that the US forces had destroyed five Houthi UAVs and two missile systems in Houthi-controlled territory over the past day. Al-Masirah meanwhile reported that the US and UK-led coalition carried out two airstrikes in Al-Kamp area of Taiz Governorate.[302]
On 12 September, the US Central Command reported that a missile system in Houthi-controlled territory was destroyed over the past day by US forces.[303] On 14 September, it stated that three Houthi UAVs and a support vehicle in Houthi-controlled territory were destroyed over the past day by US forces.[304]
On 15 September, the Houthis launched a ballistic missile that was partially intercepted by the Arrow defense system according to the IDF, with its fragments falling in open fields, causing a fire in an open area near Lod, and on a train station in Modi'in-Maccabim-Re'ut. The falling projectile fragments caused damage at the train station.[305] Nine people suffered minor injuries while running to bomb shelters. More than 2,365,000 Israelis sought shelter with alerts that lasted 90 seconds in the greater Tel Aviv area.[306] The Houthis claimed that they had targeted an Israeli military position in the Tel Aviv District with a new hypersonic ballistic missile which the IDF failed to intercept.[307][308][309] The US Central Command later stated that the US forces had destroyed a Houthi missile system in the territory controlled by the group over the past day.[310]
On 16 September, the Houthis claimed that they had destroyed a US MQ-9 Reaper drone over the Dhamar Governorate.[311] Separately, Mohammed al-Bukhaiti, a senior official of the political bureau of the Houthi movement, stated that the US had offered to accord recognition to its government in exchange for it ceasing its attacks and also made threats of intervening militarily. Two US officials however dismissed the statement as baseless in remarks to Reuters.[312]
On 18 September, the US military confirmed that the Houthis had destroyed US MQ-9 Reaper drones on 10 and 16 September.[313] On 21 September, the US Central Command stated that US forces had destroyed a Houthi UAV above the Red Sea over the past day.[314] On 25 September, it stated that another Houthi UAV was destroyed above the Red Sea by US forces over the past day.[315]
Vice-chair of the UN-recognized Yemeni government and leader of the Southern Transitional Council Aidarus al-Zoubaidi on 24 September said that the airstrikes by the coalition on the Houthis had not seriously affected their capabilities during an interview with The Guardian. He also accused Iran and Russia of supplying the group with weapons.[316]
Two drones launched from Iraq targeted Israel on 25 September, with one hitting the Port of Eilat and wounding two people. Another was intercepted over the Red Sea by a Sa'ar 5-class corvette. The Islamic Resistance in Iraq took responsibility for the attack.[317]
On 27 September, the Arrow defense system intercepted a missile from Yemen targeting central Israel.[318] A teenager was moderately injured after being struck by a car that was pulling over to the side of a road during the attack, and seventeen others were lightly hurt from falls while on their way to shelters or due to acute anxiety.[319] The Houthis on 27 September claimed that they targeted Tel Aviv with a ballistic missile and Ashkelon with a drone in response to Israel's attacks on Lebanon and Gaza, however the IDF stated that it was not aware of any drone entering Israel.[320] The group also stated that they had attacked three US Navy destroyers with 23 missiles and a UAV in the Red Sea. A US official confirmed that US Navy warships intercepted multiple missiles and drones launched by the group while they were sailing through the Bab-el-Mandeb, adding that no damage was inflicted to any of the vessels.[321]
On 28 September, the Arrow defense system shot down a ballistic missile launched from Yemen, with its remains crashing near Tzur Hadassah, causing minor damage. The Houthis stated that they had targeted Ben Gurion Airport as Netanyahu's plane arrived after returning from New York City.[322][323]
On 29 September, the Israeli Air Force struck Houthi targets in Al Hudaydah and Ras Issa, including power plants and port facilities, killing at least six people and injuring 57 others according to the Houthi-controlled Health Ministry.[324][325][326] The Houthi-run Information Ministry claimed that the group had emptied the facilities used to store fuel prior to the attack.[327]
On 30 September, the Houthis claimed that they had shot down a US MQ-9 Reaper drone in Saada Governorate. The US military later confirmed its loss.[32]
October 2024
On 1 October, the Houthis claimed that they had attacked a military target in Tel Aviv and Eilat with four Samed-4 UAVs. The IDF meanwhile stated that it had intercepted a UAV over the Mediterranean Sea, near the shore of central Israel.[328]
On 2 October, the Houthis claimed to have targeted military posts deep inside Israel with three Quds-5 cruise missiles.[329] On the following day, the IDF stated that it had shot down two UAVs near the coastline of central Israel, with another striking an open area near Bat Yam. The Houthis claimed the attacks, stating that they had successfully struck a vital target in Tel Aviv with multiple Yaffa-type UAVs.[330]
On 4 October, the US forces carried out airstrikes against many cities in Yemen, with the US Central Command stating that it carried out fifteen airstrikes. Al-Masirah reported that four airstrikes targeted Sana'a, while seven struck Al Hudaydah, including the Hodeida International Airport. The Dhamar Governorate and Al Bayda Governorate were also struck per the Houthi media office. US officials told The Associated Press that the strikes had targeted Houthi military bases, weapon systems and other equipment. Al-Masirah meanwhile also claimed that the UK was involved in the airstrikes, an allegation which was denied by the British Ministry of Defence.[331] On the following day, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq claimed to have targeted a location in northern Israel with UAVs, while launching Arqab cruise missiles at Haifa and a location in southern Israel.[332]
On 7 October, the Houthis claimed that they had launched two missiles at Jaffa, with the first being Palestine 2 missile that reached its target and the second was a Dhu al-Fiqar missile. The IDF stated that the Israeli Air Force had intercepted one missile launched from Yemen and aimed at Jaffa. The group also claimed to have targeted Jaffa and Eilat with several drones.[333]
On 8 October, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq claimed to have launched five separate attacks on five locations in northern and central Israel with Arqab cruise missiles and UAVs.[334] On the following day, the IDF stated that it had shot down a UAV over the Red Sea heading towards Israel.[335] The Islamic Resistance in Iraq meanwhile claimed to have targeted sites in northern and southern Israel, as well as Golan Heights, with UAVs.[336]
The IDF on 12 October stated that it had intercepted an aerial target over the Red Sea. The Islamic Resistance in Iraq took responsibility and claimed that it had launched two UAVs at Eilat.[337] On the following day, the group claimed to have targeted an Israeli military site in Golan Heights with a UAV.[338] The group on 14 October stated that it had targeted two sites in Jordan Valley in two UAV attacks, the IDF later stated that it intercepted two UAVs approaching Israel from Syria.[339] Al-Masirah meanwhile stated that the US and UK-led coalition carried out two airstrikes in Al Hudaydah Governorate.[340]
The United States Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on 16 October stated that Northrop B-2 Spirit bombers targeted five underground weapon storage facilities where Houthis stored weapons used in targeting commercial and military vessels. The US Central Command stated that there was no indication of civilians being harmed due to the attack. Al-Masirah meanwhile stated that airstrikes were carried out around Sana'a and Saada.[341]
The Islamic Resistance in Iraq claimed to have targeted Eilat with a UAV on 17 October after sirens were triggered in the city and in areas to the west of it.[342] On 19 October, the US Central Command stated that the US military had shot down twenty kamikaze UAVs and land-attack cruise missiles launched by Houthis and other pro-Iranian militias during the past week, in addition to a Houthi surface-to-air missile launcher along with its radar.[343] Al-Masirah meanwhile reported that the US and UK-led coalition launched airstrikes targeting Ras Issa.[344] The Islamic Resistance in Iraq claimed to have targeted Israeli areas including Golan Heights and Eilat in four attacks using UAVs,[345] with one UAV being intercepted near Eilat[346] and another reported to have crashed in Golan Heights.[347]
A UAV was intercepted over the northern Golan Heights by the Israeli Air Force on 20 October, while another was intercepted over the southern Golan Heights. Another UAV was shot down near the eastern border of Israel. The attacks were claimed by the Islamic Resistance in Iraq.[348] On 22 October, the Houthis claimed that they had targeted an Israeli military base in the Tel Aviv area with cruise and ballistic missiles, bypassing American and Israeli defense systems.[349] The IDF however stated that it was unaware of missiles being launched towards Israel from Yemen.[350]
On 23 October, the IDF intercepted two UAVs aimed at Eilat and another over Syria headed for the Golan Heights. The Islamic Resistance in Iraq claimed the attacks.[351] The Houthis meanwhile stated that the US and UK-led coalition targeted the Hodeidah International Airport twice with airstrikes.[352] On 24 October, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq claimed that it carried out two attacks in northern Israel with UAVs, while also targeting a vital site in the Jordan Valley.[353] The IDF meanwhile stated that a UAV launched from Iraq crashed into the Red Sea near Eilat.[354]
The Islamic Resistance in Iraq on 25 October claimed to have launched rockets towards southern Israel, in addition to UAVs towards Eilat, Golan Heights and other areas of Israel.[355] The IDF meanwhile stated that it had intercepted a drone launched from Syria over the Golan Heights.[356] On 26 October, the group claimed to have targeted a military facility in the Acre area.[357] On 27 October, the group claimed that it had targeted two sites in Golan and one in Eilat with UAVs. The IDF stated that it had shot down a UAV launched from east of Israel before it entered the Israeli airspace.[358]
On 28 October, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq claimed to havs targeted a military facility near Kiryat Shmona with a UAV. However, no drone alerts were reported.[359] The Houthis claimed on 29 October that they had targeted an industrial area in Ashkelon with UAVs. The IDF confirmed that a UAV had crossed into Israeli airspace, but fell into an open area near Ashkelon.[360] The group also claimed to have attacked a target in northern Israel with UAVs on the following day.[361]
On 31 October, Al-Masirah reported that the US and UK-led coalition had targeted the Hodeidah International Airport and the al-Hawak district of Al Hudaydah.[362] The Islamic Resistance in Iraq meanwhile claimed to have carried out UAV strikes on targets in northern Israel, Golan Heights and southern Israel.[362] The IDF stated that it had intercepted two UAVs over the Red Sea.[363]
November 2024
The Islamic Resistance in Iraq on 1 November claimed to have launched three UAV attacks against sites in southern Israel, two in Golan Heights and one in central Israel.[364] The IDF stated on 2 November that it had intercepted three UAVs over the Red Sea launched from east of Israel. The Islamic Resistance in Iraq took responsibility,[365] claiming it attacked four locations in Eilat and another in northern Israel.[366]
On 4 November, the IDF stated that it had intercepted multiple UAVs launched from Iraq. The Islamic Resistance in Iraq took responsibility for the attacks.[367] On 5 November, the group claimed responsibility after the IDF intercepted a UAV over the area of Arabah, and another near the borders of Israel.[368] It later claimed to have attacked targets in southern Israel and Haifa.[369] The IDF on 6 November intercepted a UAV launched from Iraq outside Israeli airspace,[370] while another was shot down near Masada.[371]
On 8 November, the Houthis claimed to have shot down an American MQ-9 Reaper UAV over the Al Jawf Governorate. The US military acknowledged the videos being circulated online purportedly of the drone's debris and stated that they were investigating.[372] The group additionally stated that it had targeted the Nevatim Airbase in Israel with a ballistic missile, however the IDF stated that it was intercepted.[373] Al-Masirah stated that the US and UK-led coalition had launched two airstrikes in the Al Hudaydah Governorate.[364] On the following day, the IDF stated that it had intercepted a UAV before it crossed into Israel, with the Islamic Resistance in Iraq taking responsibility.[374]
On 10 November, Al-Masirah reported that US and UK-led coalition carried out airstrikes on the city of Sana'a, its suburbs, the 'Amran Governorate and other areas of Yemen. US officials confirmed the airstrikes, stating that the US forces conducted multiple attacks on facilities utilised by Houthis for storing weapons which they used for targeting military and civilian ships.[375][376] The IDF meanwhile stated that it intercepted two UAVs before they crossed into Israeli airspace. The Islamic Resistance in Iraq took responsibility, stating that they had targeted vital sites in northern and southern Israel.[377] The US Central Command admitted on 13 November that it had carried out airstrikes against weapons storage facilites of the Houthis on 9 and 10 November using both the US Air Force and Navy assets, including the F-35C aircraft.[378]
On 11 November, the Houthis claimed to have successfully targeted the Nahal Sorek military base near Jaffa, however the IDF stated that it intercepted the projectile in the Bet Shemesh area, with its debris causing fires. Al-Masirah meanwhile reported that the US and UK-led coalition carrier out airstrikes in the 'Amran and Saada governorates.[379] The Islamic Resistance in Iraq meanwhile claimed to have carried out UAV attacks on northern and southern Israel.[364] The Houthis later carried out attacks on USS Stockdale and the USS Spruance while the two ships were transiting through the Bab-el-Mandeb with at least eight UAVs, five ballistic missiles and three anti-ship cruise missiles, all of which were intercepted without causing any damage or casualties per the United States Department of Defense. The group also claimed to have targeted the USS Abraham Lincoln, however US officials denied the claim.[380]
On 12 November, Al-Masirah reported that the US and the UK-led coalition launched an air strike targeting a civilian car in the As Sawma'ah District, and three US-UK air strikes targeting the Al-Faza area in the At Tuhayta District.[381] The IDF meanwhile stated that it had intercepted a UAV launched from Iraq over the southern Golan Heights,[382] while another was spotted near Mitzpe Ramon, though no damage or casualties occurred.[383]
On 13 November, the IDF stated that it intercepted two UAVs launched from Iraq before they entered Israeli airspace.[384]
On 16 November, the IDF stated that it had intercepted a missile off the coast of Eilat[385] and two aerial objects before they entered Israeli airspace,[386] while a UAV crashed in the waters near the coast of Eilat.[387] The Islamic Resistance in Iraq claimed to have targeted four sities in and around Eilat, in addition to a site in northern Israel, using UAVs.[388] The Houthis meanwhile also claimed to have targeted a site in Eilat using a number of UAVs.[389]
On 17 November, the IDF stated that it had intercepted a UAV launched towards Eilat from Iraq before it entered Israeli territory, with the Islamic Resistance in Iraq claiming responsibility.[390] An apparent errant Israeli interceptor missile hit the Aqaba area in Jordan.[391] The Houthis meanwhile claimed to have targeted sites in Tel Aviv and Ashkelon area with several UAVs, however the IDF stated that it was unaware of any such attack.[392]
The IDF stated on 19 November that it intercepted a UAV launched from Iraq, before it crossed into Israeli airspace.[393] The Foreign Minister of Israel, Gideon Saar, meanwhile called on the United Nations Security Council to pressure Iraq in order to prevent pro-Iranian militias from launching attacks on Israel using its soil, warning that it would take action in self-defense if the attacks didn't cease.[394]
The IDF intercepted a missile launched from Yemen on 21 November. The Houthis later claimed to have successfully targeted the Nevatim Airbase on November with the Palestine 2 missile.[395] A UAV launched from the east of Israel crashed in an open area of the Golan Heights on 25 November.[396]
On 28 November, Al-Masirah reported that the US and UK-led coalition had carried out two airstrikes on Bajil District.[397] The IAF on 30 November intercepted a UAV launcher from Iraq before it crossed into Israeli territory, later another ghe Israeli Navy intercepted a UAV launched from Iraq over the Mediterranean Sea.[398]
December 2024
On 1 December, the IDF intercepted a ballistic missile launched from Yemen before it crossed into Israeli territory. The Houthis later took responsibility, stating that they attacked a vital target in central Israel.[399] The group also claimed to have hit a US destroyer and three supply ships belonging to the US Armed Forces which they identified as Stena Impeccable, Maersk Saratoga and Liberty Grace, with sixteen ballistic and cruise missiles.[400] The United States Central Command later stated that USS Stockdale and USS O'Kane intercepted three anti-ship ballistic missiles, three UAVs and an anti-ship cruise missile launched at them and three merchant ships.[401]
On 2 December, the Israeli Navy stated that it had intercepted a UAV launched from Iraq over the Red Sea.[402] The Houthis later claimed that they had carried out three UAV attacks in cooperation with the Islamic Resistance in Iraq against Israeli sites, including two in northern Israel and one in Eilat.[403]
A missile launched from Yemen on 7 December was intercepted by Israeli air defenses before it entered Israeli territory.[404] Another missile launched by the Houthis was shot down by the Israeli Air Force on the following day, before it entered Israeli territory.[405] The Houthis stated that they had targeted a vital facility in southern Israel in cooperation with the Islamic Resistance in Iraq using UAVs.[406] On 9 December, a UAV launched from Yemen damaged an apartment block in Yavne, without causing any casualties. The Houthis claimed that they had successfully hit a sensitive target in the Tel Aviv area.[407]
On 10 December, the Houthis stated that they had targeted three supply vessels of the American military, as well as the destroyers USS O'Kane and USS Stockdale escorting them through the Gulf of Aden. The US Central Command later stated that the destroyers had intercepted all the UAVs and cruise missiles launched by the group at the ships.[408][409]
The IDF intercepted a UAV targeting Eilat and launched from Yemen over the Red Sea on 12 December, while another UAV launched from the east of Israel was intercepted over southern Israel.[410] The Houthis on the following day claimed to have successfully targeted military sites in Jaffa and Ashkelon using UAVs, in addition to conducting a UAV attack in cooperation with the Islamic Resistance in Iraq against strategic sites in southern Israel.[411] Al-Masirah on 15 August claimed that the US and UK-led coalition carried out airstrikes targeting the At Tuhayta District.[412]
On 16 December, the IDF intercepted a missile launched from Yemen before it crossed into Israeli territory. The Houthis claimed the attacked, stating that they had successfully targeted central Israel with the Palestine 2 missile.[413] A UAV launched from Yemen was also intercepted over the Mediterranean Sea by the Israeli Navy. Al-Masirah meanwhile stated that the U.S. and U.K.-led coalition had carried out an airstrike on the Bahis area in the Midi District[414] and the al-Ardi complex in Sanaa. The US Central Command later admitted that the US military had targeted a Houthi command-and-control facility.[415]
Overnight on 18 December, the Arrow defense system partially intercepted a Houthi ballistic missile before it entered Israeli airspace, the warhead however was undamaged and the shrapnel fell in Ramat Gan, with cars being damaged and a school collapsing.[416] The Houthis claimed to have struck two military sites in the Tel Aviv area using hypersonic ballistic missiles.[417] A suspected Houthi UAV was intercepted on the following day near the coast of Tel Aviv by the Israeli Air Force.[418] The Houthis later claimed to have targeted a military site in the Tel Aviv area with a UAV.[419]
Shortly after the Houthi missile attack, fourteen Israeli warplanes struck areas in Yemen in two waves of airstrikes. The first wave saw strikes on the Hudaydah Port, the Port of Salif, and the Ras Isa oil terminal, while the second wave hit fuel depots of two power stations located near Sanaa. The IDF stated that its strikes targeted sites used by the Houthis for military operations and put the three ports they struck out of use, while destroying eight tugboats.[420][421][416] Al-Masirah stated that the attacks killed at least nine civilians and wounded three others, while damaging an oil facility and the Hudaydah Port.[422][48]
The Houthis claimed to have carried out two successful UAV attacks on Israel in cooperation with the Islamic Resistance in Iraq on 20 December, including one against Israeli targets in southern Israel and another against a military site in central Israel.[423]
On 21 December, a Houthi ballistic missile hit a playground in Jaffa after several failed interception attempts, lightly wounding 16 people, while another 14 were injured while fleeing to shelters.[424][425][426] The Houthis claimed to have targeted an Israeli military site in the Tel Aviv area with the Palestine 2 missile.[427] Later that day, a UAV suspected to have been launched from Yemen was shot down by the IAF over southern Israel.[428]
Also on 21 December, the US Central Command stated that the Us military carried out airstrikes on Sanaa, targeting a Houthi missile storage site and command facilities, in addition to shooting down multiple Houthi UAVs and an anti-ship cruise missile above the Red Sea. It later confirmed that USS Gettysburg accidentally shot down a F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jet over the Red Sea in a friendly fire incident, with one of its pilots suffering minor injuries.[429] The Houthis meanwhile claimed to have thwarted the attack and shoot down the American jet, adding that they fired eight cruise missiles and 17 UAVs at American destroyers.[430]
Houthi attacks on commercial vessels
Iran-backed Houthi forces began attacking shipping vessels affiliated with Israel passing through the Red Sea on 19 November 2023. By February, 40 vessels had been attacked. Global shipping companies, which had typically sailed through the Red Sea, as well as the Suez Canal, instead moved to position their vessels around the Cape of Good Hope, off the Cape Peninsula, South Africa.[431][432][62][433]
Between November and December 2023, a 1.3 percent decrease in global trade resulted from Houthi attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea.[434] By March 2024, over 2,000 ships had diverted routes away from the Red Sea, making costlier voyages, since the first Houthi attack the previous November.[435]
Initial Houthi pledges to target any ship with links to Israel were followed by attacks on ships connected to over a dozen nations, as well, stated, in January 2024, as avenging "American-British aggression against our country". US Central Command responded that the Houthis attacks "have nothing to do with the conflict in Gaza" and that Houthis had "fired indiscriminately into the Red Sea", targeting ships, and impacting more than 40 nations.[436][437] On 3 May 2024, the Houthi-aligned Yemeni Armed Forces SPC military spokesperson Yahya Saree announced, in a televised speech, that "We will target any ships heading to Israeli ports in the Mediterranean Sea in any area we are able to reach".[64]
List
| Date | Vessel attacked | Agent | Result | Ref | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Flag | ||||
| 19 November 2023 | Galaxy Leader |  Bahamas |
Houthi Mil Mi-17 helicopter | Hijacked | [438] |
| 24 November 2023 | CMA CGM Symi |  Malta |
Iran (Alleged) | Damaged | [439] |
| 26 November 2023 | Central Park |  Liberia |
Houthi crew | Unharmed | [440] |
| 3 December 2023 | Number 9 |  Panama |
Houthi ballistic missile | Minor damage | [441] |
| Sophie II | Panama |
Houthi ballistic missile | Minor damage | [441] | |
| Unity Explorer | Bahamas |
Houthi ballistic missile | Minor damage | [441] | |
| 12 December 2023 | Strinda |  Norway |
Houthi missile | Set afire | [9] |
| 13 December 2023 | Ardmore Encounter |  Marshall Islands |
Houthi drones | Unharmed | [442] |
| 14 December 2023 | Maersk Gibraltar |  Hong Kong |
Houthi missile | Unharmed | [443] |
| 15 December 2023 | MSC Alanya | Liberia |
Houthi naval missile | Unknown | [9] |
| MSC Palatium III | Liberia |
Houthi Naval missile | Unknown | [444] | |
| Al-Jasrah | Liberia |
Houthi projectile | Set afire | [445] | |
| 18 December 2023 | MSC Clara | Panama |
Houthi drones | Unknown | [442] |
| Swan Atlantic | Norway |
Houthi drones | Minor damage | [442] | |
| 26 December 2023 | MSC United VIII | Liberia |
Houthi naval missile | Unknown | [109] |
| 30 December 2023 | Maersk Hangzhou |  Singapore |
Houthi land-based missile | Minor damage | [446] |
| 31 December 2023 | Maersk Hangzhou | Singapore |
Houthi crew | Unharmed | [446] |
| 12 January 2024 | Khalissa | Panama |
Houthi projectile | Unknown | [119] |
| 15 January 2024 | Gibraltar Eagle | Marshall Islands |
Houthi anti-ship missile | Minor damage | [447] |
| 16 January 2024 | Zografia | Malta |
Ballistic missile | Minor damage | [448] |
| 17 January 2024 | Genco Picardy | Marshall Islands |
Houthi drone | Minor damage | [449] |
| 18 January 2024 | Chem Ranger | Marshall Islands |
Houthi anti-ship ballistic missile | Unharmed | [450] |
| 22 January 2024 | Ocean Jazz |  United States |
Houthis | Unknown | [451] |
| 24 January 2024 | Maersk Detroit | United States |
Houthi missile | Unharmed | [452] |
| Maersk Chesapeake | United States |
Houthi missile | Unharmed | [452] | |
| 26 January 2024 | Marlin Luanda | Marshall Islands |
Houthi missile | Set afire | [436] |
| 30 January 2024 | Koi | Liberia |
Houthi naval missiles | Unknown | [453] |
| 6 February 2024 | Morning Tide |  Barbados |
Houthis | Minor damage | [454] |
| Star Nasia | Marshall Islands |
Houthis | Minor damage | [454][455] | |
| 12 February 2024 | Star Iris | Marshall Islands |
Houthi missiles | Minor damage | [456] |
| 16 February 2024 | Pollux | Panama |
Houthi missile | Minor damage | [457] |
| 18 February 2024 | Rubymar |  Belize |
Houthi anti-ship missile | Sunk | [49] |
| 19 February 2024 | Sea Champion |  Greece |
Houthi naval missiles | Minor damage | [458] |
| Navis Fortuna | Marshall Islands |
Houthi naval missile | Minor damage | [458] | |
| 22 February 2024 | Islander |  Palau |
Houthi missile | Damaged | [459] |
| 6 March 2024 | True Confidence | Barbados |
Houthi anti-ship missile | Set afire | [460] |
| 8 March 2024 | Propel Fortune | Singapore |
Houthi anti-ship missiles | Unknown | [461] |
| 24 March 2024 | Huang Pu | Panama |
Houthi anti-ship ballistic missile | Unknown | [462] |
| 7 April 2024 | Hope Island | Marshall Islands |
Houthis | Unknown | [463][464][465] |
| MSC Grace | Panama |
Houthis | Unknown | ||
| MSC Gina | Panama |
Houthis | Unknown | ||
| 9 April 2024 | Maersk Yorktown | United States |
Houthi anti-ship missile | Unharmed | [466] |
| MSC Gina | Panama |
Houthis | Unknown | [467] | |
| MSC Darwin VI | Liberia |
Houthis | Unknown | [467] | |
| 24 April 2024 | Maersk Yorktown | United States |
Houthi missile | Unharmed | [466] |
| MSC Veracruz |  Portugal |
Houthi anti-ship ballistic missile | Unknown | [468] | |
| 26 April 2024 | Andromeda Star | Panama |
Houthi missiles | Minor damage | [468] |
| Maisha |  Antigua and Barbuda |
Houthi missile | Unharmed | [467] | |
| 29 April 2024 | Cyclades | Malta |
Houthi missiles and UAVs | Minor damage | [469] |
| MSC Orion | Portugal |
Houthi drones | Minor damage | [470] | |
| 18 May 2024 | Wind | Panama |
Houthi missiles | Minor damage | [207] |
| 23 May 2024 | Yannis | Malta |
Houthi missiles | Unharmed | [471][207] |
| Essex | Liberia |
Houthi missiles | Unharmed | [207] | |
| 28 May 2024 | Laax | Marshall Islands |
Houthi missiles | Damaged | [472] |
| 1 June 2024 | Abliani | Malta |
Houthi drones and rockets | Unharmed | [473][212] |
| Maina | Malta |
Houthi anti-ballistic missiles and armed drones | Unharmed | [212][213] | |
| Al Oraiq | Marshall Islands |
Houthi anti-ballistic missiles and armed drones | Unharmed | [212][213] | |
| 8–9 June 2024 | Norderney | Antigua and Barbuda |
Houthi missiles | Set afire | [474] |
| 8 June 2024 | MSC Tavivshi | Liberia |
Houthi ballistic missile | Set afire | [474][475] |
| 9 June 2024 | Unknown | Unknown | Houthi ballistic missile | Damaged | [476] |
| 12 June 2024 | Tutor | Liberia |
Houthi Toufan-1 USV,[477] ballistic missiles, drones | Sunk | [478][479][480] |
| 13 June 2024 | Verbena | Palau |
Houthi cruise missiles | Set afire | [40] |
| Unknown | Unknown | Unknown Houthi weapons | Unharmed | [481] | |
| 16 June 2024 | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unharmed | [228] |
| 21 June 2024 | Transworld Navigator | Liberia |
Houthi ballistic missiles | Unharmed | [482][234] |
| 23 June 2024 | Transworld Navigator | Liberia |
Houthi USV | Damaged | [483][484] |
| 24 June 2024 | MSC Sarah V | Liberia |
Houthi Hatem 2 hypersonic missile | Unharmed | [485][486] |
| 26 June 2024 | Unknown | Unknown | Houthi missile | Unharmed | [487] |
| 27 June 2024 | Unknown | Unknown | Likely Houthi USV | Unharmed | [488] |
| 28 June 2024 | Delonix | Liberia |
Houthi ballistic missiles | Unharmed | [489] |
| 9 July 2024 | Maersk Sentosa | United States |
Houthi missiles | Unharmed | [490] |
| 10 July 2024 | Mount Fuji | Liberia |
Likely Houthi weapons | Unharmed | [491] |
| 11 July 2024 | Unknown | Unknown | Likely Houthi missiles | Unharmed | [492][493] |
| 15 July 2024 | Bentley I | Panama |
Houthi USV, patrol boats, ballistic missiles | Hit | [494][493] |
| Chios Lion | Liberia |
Houthi USV | Damaged | [494][493] | |
| 19 July 2024 | Lobivia | Singapore |
Houthi ballistic missiles, UAVs | Set afire | [495] |
| 20 July 2024 | Pumba | Liberia |
Houthi UAVs, USV | Damaged | [496][260] |
| 3 August 2024 | Groton | Liberia |
Houthi ballistic missiles | Hit | [273][497] |
| 8–9 August 2024 | Delta Blue | Liberia |
Houthi RPG, USV, missiles | Unharmed | [498][499] |
| 13 August 2024 | Delta Atlantica | Liberia |
Likely Houthi USV, other weapons | Hit | [500] |
| On Phoenix | Panama |
Likely Houthi weapons | Unharmed | [500] | |
| 21–22 August 2024 | Sounion | Greece |
Houthi boats, USV, other weapons | Set afire | [501][502][288] |
| SW North Wind I | Panama |
Houthi USV, other weapons | Damaged | [501][503][502] | |
| 30 August 2024 | Groton | Liberia |
Houthi missiles | Unharmed | [292] |
| 2 September 2024 | Blue Lagoon I | Panama |
Houthi ballistic missiles | Damaged | [504][294] |
| 1 October 2024 | Cordelia Moon | Panama |
Houthi missiles, USV | Damaged | [505][506] |
| 1 October 2024 | Minoan Courage | Liberia |
Houthi missile | Damaged | [506][507] |
| 10 October 2024 | Olympic Spirit | Liberia |
Houthi ballistic missiles, drones | Damaged | [508] |
| 29 October 2024 | Motaro | Liberia |
Houthi weapons | Unharmed | [509] |
First and second phases (November – December 2023)
On 19 November 2023, Houthi forces used a Mil Mi-17 helicopter to board and seize the car transporter Galaxy Leader, which was en route to India with 25 people but no cargo on board.[510][511] The incident followed a statement by Houthi spokesman Yahya Saree on the group's Telegram channel, declaring their intention to target ships owned or operated by Israeli companies or carrying the Israeli flag.[512] According to the ship's owner, the vessel was then moved to the Yemeni port of Hodeidah.[513] Sarea also urged countries to remove their citizens from crews of such ships. Earlier, Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi had threatened further attacks against Israeli interests, including potential targets in the Red Sea and the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait. His speech emphasized the group's capability to monitor and target Israeli ships in these regions.[514]
On 24 November, Iran allegedly attacked CMA CGM Symi, a Malta-flagged container ship in the Indian Ocean[439] A drone was shot down over the Red Sea by an IDF fighter jet.[515]
On 26 November, the Liberian-flagged MV Central Park, an oil tanker managed by Zodiac Maritime, was seized off the coast of Yemen in the Gulf of Aden. It carried a full cargo of phosphoric acid with 22 crew members consisting of Russian, Vietnamese, Bulgarian, Indian, Georgian and Filipino nationals.[440] The destroyer USS Mason, along with a partner country in the multilateral anti-piracy operation CTF 151, conducted a visit, board, search, and seizure (VBSS) operation that facilitated the release of the Central Park and captured the hijackers on the ship following their attempted escape. The ship's crew was unharmed. The US military reported that in the early morning hours of the following day, two ballistic missiles were fired in the direction of the Mason and the Central Park from Houthi territory in Yemen and ended up in the Gulf of Aden.[516][517] The five hijackers, all suspected Somali pirates, were detained by the US Navy.[517][518]
On 3 December, the United States Navy Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Carney reportedly shot down three attack drones launched from Yemen that were approaching the ship. After shooting down the drones, the ship responded to a distress call by three commercial ships in the area (the Unity Explorer, Number 9 and Sophie II) which were under attack by ballistic missiles launched from Yemen.[441]
The Houthis claimed responsibility for two of the attacks. Houthi military spokesman Brigadier General Yahya Saree stated that one merchant vessel was hit by a missile and another by a drone while in the Bab el-Mandeb strait, without mentioning a warship.[441] A Pentagon source said that the attacks on Carney caused no injuries or damage.[519]
Third phase (December 2023 – May 2024)
On 9 December 2023, the Houthis vowed to target any vessel en route to Israeli ports, entering the third phase of the crisis. Following the announcement, the frequency of attacks around the Bab-el-Mandeb increased.[520]
On 12 December, the Houthis launched an anti-ship cruise missile attack against the Norwegian commercial ship Strinda, an oil and chemical tanker operated by the J. Ludwig Mowinckels Rederi company, while it was close to the Bab-el-Mandeb. The Strinda was on its way from Malaysia to Italy (via the Suez Canal). The attack caused a fire aboard the ship; no crew members were injured.[9][521] The ship was carrying cargo of palm oil. The French Armed Forces Ministry and US Department of Defense reported that the Languedoc shot down a drone targeted at the Strinda, and USS Mason also rendered aid. The Houthi attack on the Strinda was an expansion of its series of attacks against maritime shipping in the strait; the Houthis began to attack commercial vessels without any discernible tie to Israel.[521][53]
On 13 December, Houthi rebels attempted to board the Ardmore Encounter, a Marshall Islands-flagged commercial tanker coming from Mangaluru, India and en route to either Rotterdam, Netherlands or Gävle, Sweden, but failed, prompting a distress call from the ship. They then targeted the tanker with missiles, which missed. USS Mason responded to the tanker's distress call and shot down a UAV launched from a Houthi-controlled area. The Ardmore Encounter was able to continue its voyage without further incident.[522]
On 14 December, a Houthi-launched missile was fired at the Maersk Gibraltar, though it missed its target.[443] On 15 December, Houthi spokesperson Yahya Sarea claimed responsibility for attacks on two Liberian-flagged vessels identified as MSC Alanya and MSC Palatium III. The Houthis fired naval missiles at the ships as they alleged they were traveling to Israel.[444]
On 15 December, it was reported that the Liberian-flagged Al-Jasrah, which is owned by Hapag Lloyd, caught fire after being hit by a Houthi-launched projectile while sailing through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.[523] On 16 December, Royal Navy destroyer HMS Diamond shot down a drone over the Red Sea while it was targeting a commercial ship.[16]
On 18 December, Houthis claimed to have launched attacks targeting two cargo vessels in the Red Sea near Mocha port, the MSC Clara and the Norwegian-owned Swan Atlantic. The Swan Atlantic's owner, Inventor Chemical Tankers, said its water tank was damaged in the attack and denied it has any Israeli ties.[442]
On 23 December, Houthis fired two anti-ship ballistic missiles into the southern Red Sea, but no ships were hit. USS Laboon also shot down four UAVs that were heading toward it.[524]
On 26 December, Houthis fired several naval missiles at the MSC United VIII in the Red Sea after it rejected three warning calls.[109] She reported several explosions near her.[445][525] She alerted a nearby coalition task force warship and engaged in evasive maneuvers as per her instructions during the attacks.[526][527]
The container ship Maersk Hangzhou, owned by A.P. Moller Singapore Pte. Ltd. and in service with Maersk Line, was attacked over two days in late December. On 30 December, she was hit by a land-based missile, suffering only limited damage and no casualties. The following day, four small Yemeni gunboats attempted to attack and board the ship. The Maersk Hangzhou's own security team repelled them. Responding to her distress call, helicopters were deployed from USS Dwight D. Eisenhower and USS Gravely, which were then engaged by the Houthis. They returned fire and sank three of the boats, killing their crews (ten militants in all—the fourth boat withdrew), thus inflicting the first known casualties of the Red Sea crisis.[446]
On 11 January 2024, Houthis fired an anti-ship ballistic missile into international shipping lanes in the Gulf of Aden, which landed in the water near a commercial vessel, causing no damage or injuries.[528]
On 12 January, Houthis mistakenly targeted MT Khalissa as it carried Russian crude oil based on outdated information linking it to the United Kingdom.[119] A missile was fired near the vessel as it sailed off the coast of Aden, causing no injuries or damage. Three small boats also tailed the vessel for over an hour.[529][530]
On 15 January, Houthis struck MV Gibraltar Eagle with an anti-ship missile, causing a small fire on board. The attack did not cause injuries or significant damage. Another missile fired earlier failed in flight and crashed in Yemen.[447]
On 16 January, an anti-ship ballistic missile fired by the Houthis struck MV Zografia, causing material damage but no injuries. The Greek-owned and Malta-flagged vessel, which came from Vietnam and was en route to Israel, was able to continue transiting the Red Sea.[448][531]
On 17 January, Houthis struck the US-owned bulk carrier MV Genco Picardy with a drone while it traversed the Gulf of Aden, causing minimal damage and no injuries to the crew.[449][532] The Indian Navy announced the following day that INS Visakhapatnam was diverted to rescue the ship's crew of 22 people. No casualties were reported and the ship later continued onwards for its scheduled journey.[533][534]
On 18 January, Houthis launched two anti-ship ballistic missiles at MV Chem Ranger, which was traveling from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia to Kuwait. The missiles landed in the water near the ship while it was traversing through the Gulf of Aden, and there was no reported damage or injuries. However, a Houthi post on social media claimed that they launched several naval missiles at the vessel, resulting in direct hits.[450]
On 22 January, Houthis claimed they attacked the US military cargo ship MV Ocean Jazz, but did not state the location of the attack or if damage was caused. However, the claim was rejected by the US Naval Forces Central Command.[451]
On 24 January, a Houthi missile exploded on the sea about 100 metres off the starboard side of the US-flagged, -owned, and -operated container ship Maersk Detroit. This ship and the Maersk Chesapeake, both in the US Maritime Administration's Maritime Security Program and Voluntary Intermodal Sealift Agreement were carrying US Department of Defense, US Department of State, USAID, and other US government agency cargo from Oman, and accompanied by US naval vessels while they were near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait transiting north. Two other missiles were shot down by USS Gravely. Following the incident, the two vessels were ordered back to the Gulf of Aden by US Navy instruction with Navy escort and Maersk Line Limited, a subsidiary that sails primarily US government-owned goods, suspended all sailings in the Red Sea.[452][535][536]
On 26 January, a Houthi ballistic missile fired toward USS Carney was shot down.[537] The same day, the Marlin Luanda, an oil tanker operated by British company Oceonix Services on behalf of Trafigura, carrying Russian-produced naphtha, was hit by a missile as it traversed the Gulf of Aden 60 nautical miles (110 km; 69 mi) southeast of Aden, according to UK Maritime Trade Operations. A Houthi spokesperson said the ship was targeted in response to "American-British aggression against our country". The missile set fire to a starboard cargo tank, which was extinguished by the crew without injury.[436][538]
On 28 January, HMS Diamond intercepted a Houthi drone targeting it.[539] The following day, Houthis claimed they struck USS Lewis B. Puller with a missile in the Gulf of Aden. An American defense official rejected the claim.[540] The UKMTO reported the same day that a merchant vessel was suspiciously approached by three small boats, who got as close as one nautical mile, 44 nautical miles (81 km; 51 mi) west of Al-Mukha. The merchant vessel's security crew fired warning shots to deter the small boats, and the vessel was able to safely proceed to its next port of call.[541]
On 30 January, a Houthi missile targeting USS Gravely came within a mile of the naval vessel before being intercepted, the closest any Houthi attack had yet come to a US warship.[542] The following day, the Houthis claimed they targeted an American merchant ship named Koi with several naval missiles. The security firm Ambrey said the same day that a merchant vessel reported an explosion on its starboard side 69 nautical miles (128 km; 79 mi) southwest of Aden, but it was not stated if it was the Koi.[453] USS Carney also shot down three Iranian drones and one Houthi missile over the Gulf of Aden.[543]
On 6 February, Houthis claimed they hit a British and an American ship in the Red Sea, which they identified as the Morning Tide and Star Nasia, respectively. Neither ship received major damage. Ambrey reported that a Barbados-flagged British ship received minor damage to its port 57 nautical miles (106 km; 66 mi) from the coast of Hodeidah, and the UKMTO said that it also received reports that the port side of a ship was struck by a projectile west of Hodeidah and a small craft was seen nearby.[454] The second ship, which the UKMTO identified as a Marshall Islands-flagged, Greek-owned vessel originating from the US and en route to India, was attacked off the coast of Aden. It reported an explosion 50 metres off its starboard side.[455]
On 12 February, Houthis fired two missiles at the Star Iris as it traveled south of the Bab el-Mandeb strait, claiming it was an American vessel without providing evidence. The attack caused minor damage to the vessel, but no injuries were reported. The Star Iris came from Brazil and was en route to Bandar Khomeini, Iran. It was able to proceed to its next port of call.[456]
On 16 February, the UKMTO reported that a missile lightly damaged a Panama-flagged ship off the coast of Mokha.[544] Houthis later claimed responsibility for the attack, identifying the tanker as the Pollux and claiming they targeted it with a "large number of appropriate naval missiles". The US Department of State said the tanker was bound for India and was struck on its port side by a missile fired from Yemen.[457]
On 18 February, the Belize-flagged cargo ship MV Rubymar was attacked in the Bab el-Mandeb strait as she sailed from Khor Fakkan, UAE, to Varna, Bulgaria. Saree said the attack caused catastrophic damage to the vessel, forced her to stop, and put her at risk of sinking. The vessel's crew evacuated after the attack. Ambrey said the attack made the ship briefly slow down and deviate from her course, before contacting the Djiboutian Navy and returning to her previous course and speed. The vessel remained afloat as of 8 am London time. CENTCOM said the attack on the Rubymar caused her to slowly take in water and leave behind a 29-kilometre (18 mi) oil slick, causing an environmental disaster. It added that she was carrying 41,000 tonnes of fertilizer, which could spill into the sea if she were to sink.[545] On 2 March, the Yemeni government reported that the Rubymar had sunk.[49]
On 19 February, a Greece-flagged bulk carrier requested military assistance after a missile attack east of Aden.[546] Houthis claimed responsibility for the attack, identifying the vessel as the Sea Champion. They added that another vessel called Navis Fortuna was also struck.[458]
On 22 February, Houthis fired two missiles at the cargo ship MV Islander as she traversed the Red Sea, causing a fire. CENTCOM announced that damage was done to the vessel and one person suffered minor injuries as a result of the attacks.[459]
On 6 March, the Houthis struck the Barbados-flagged bulk carrier True Confidence with an anti-ship missile, igniting a fire and leading the crew to abandon the vessel. Three crew members were killed and four others sustained serious burns from the fire.[460] INS Kolkata handled the situation. The event happened 55 nautical miles to the southwest of Aden. INS Kolkata deployed its boats and onboard helicopter to reach the location and deployed life rafts to save 21 crew members, one of whom was Indian. The ship's medical professionals provided vital medical attention to the injured crew members.[547][548]
On 8 March, the Houthis launched a large attack on US warships and commercial shipping, firing two anti-ship missiles at the Singapore-flagged bulk carrier MV Propel Fortune and 37 drones at American naval vessels.[461] A French warship and fighter jets shot down four drones approaching vessels belonging to Operation Aspides; the Danish frigate Iver Huitfeldt shot down another four; and the US Navy intercepted another 15.[549][550]
On 14 March, reports that missiles had struck the Panama-flagged Pacific 01 in the Gulf of Aden were debunked.[551][552] The following day, Houthis threatened to expand attacks to include Israel-linked vessels passing through the Indian Ocean towards the Cape of Good Hope.[553] On the same day, Yahya Saree claimed that Houthi forces launched drones and anti-ship missiles at American and Israeli vessels in the Indian Ocean, while also targeting US naval vessels with drones.[554]
On 24 March, Houthis targeted the Chinese-owned and Panama-flagged oil tanker MV Huang Pu with six anti-ship ballistic missiles as she was en route to New Mangalore Port, India.[462] One of the missiles landed in Yemen, while four others struck in the vicinity of the vessel and the fifth directly struck her, causing a fire which was extinguished thirty minutes later. She was carrying Russian crude oil at the time of the attack,[555] and was previously owned by a British shipping firm.[556][557]
On 7 April, the Houthis claimed responsibility for attacks on three commercial vessels and two US frigates in the Red Sea and Indian Ocean. They identified the commercial vessels as the British-owned, Marshall Islands-flagged Hope Island and the Israeli-owned, Panama-flagged MSC Grace F and MSC Gina.[465][464][463]
On 9 April, the Maersk Yorktown, a US-flagged and owned container ship which was being escorted by the destroyers USS Mason and USS Laboon at the time, was targeted by an anti-ship missile while traversing the Gulf of Aden. The missile was intercepted before it could cause damage.[466] The following day, the Houthis claimed responsibility for the attack on the Yorktown and announced that they targeted the vessels MSC Gina and MSC Darwin, which they claimed were Israeli, and a US destroyer in the Gulf of Aden.[467]
On 24 April, Maersk Yorktown was again[466] targeted while underway the Gulf of Aden, along with the Madeira-flagged, Swiss-owned MSC Veracruz. Each was attacked in the Indian Ocean by Iranian-backed Houthi militants.[468]
On 26 April, two Houthi missiles hit the Panama-flagged oil tanker Andromeda Star, causing minor damage, approximately 15 nautical miles (28 km; 17 mi) southwest of Mokha.[558] The Houthis claimed she was a British oil ship. She had been carrying Russian oil from Primorsk, Russia to Vadinar, India.[559] INS Kochi rescued 30 crew members on board the ship. An official reconnaissance was conducted by a helicopter after which the explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) reached the vessel to "residual risk assessment". Later the ship continued towards her next destination.[560][561] Another missile landed in close proximity to the nearby Antigua and Barbuda-flagged MV Maisha, causing no damage.[562]
On 29 April, Houthis attacked the Malta-flagged merchant vessel MV Cyclades with anti-ship missiles and UAVs, causing minor damage.[469] The Houthis also claimed responsibility for a drone attack on the Portugal-flagged MSC Orion that day, directly striking her around 600 kilometres (370 mi) off the coast of Yemen while she was in the Arabian Sea, making it the furthest attack by the Houthis so far.[470][563] In response to the increased range, the EU's Operation Atalanta advised for an alternative shipping route to be established at least 150 nautical miles (280 km; 170 mi) east of the current route.[564]
Fourth phase (May – July 2024)
In early May 2024, in what he described as the "fourth stage" of the attacks, Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi vowed to attack ships of any company related to Israel or carrying goods for Israel in response to Israel's Rafah offensive in southern Gaza.[565]
On 9 May, the Houthis claimed responsibility for attacks on three Panama-flagged container ships. In the first attack, two explosions were reported near a ship in the morning of 7 May. The Houthis said that the explosions were missile attacks targeting MSC Gina and MSC Diego. They also claimed an attack on the MSC Vittoria in the Indian Ocean, however this was unacknowledged by any authorities.[566][567]
On 18 May, the Greek-owned and Panama-flagged oil tanker MT Wind was struck by a missile off the coast of Mokha.[207] On 24 May, the Houthis claimed to have attacked the bulk carrier Yannis in the Red Sea, the gas tanker Essex in the Mediterranean Sea and the MSC Alexandra in the Arabian Sea. The U.S. Central Command stated that the Houthis fired two anti-ship ballistic missiles into the Red Sea, but no injuries or damages were reported, while Essex's manager Zodiac Maritime stated that it found no sign of it being struck.[207][471] The Greek-owned and Marshall Islands-flagged bulk carrier Laax was struck by Houthis on 28 May. The group also claimed to have targeted the ships Morea and Sealady in the Red Sea, Alba and Maersk Hartford in the Arabian Sea and Minerva Antonia in the Mediterranean Sea. Maersk Line, the owner of Maersk Hartford, however denied any attack on the ship.[568][472]
On 1 June, the Houthis targeted the Maltese-flagged oil tanker Abliani in the Red Sea, the Maltese-flagged cargo ship Maina once in the Red Sea and then in the Arabian Sea, and the Marshall Islands-flagged LNG carrier Al Oraiq in the Indian Ocean on 1 June. The US Central Command said that no casualties or damage were reported.[212][213][473]
On 5 June, the Houthis claimed to have attacked the Liberian-flagged bulk carriers Roza and Vantage Dream in the Red Sea with missiles and drones, accusing the two ships of entering Israeli ports. They also claimed an attack on the US-flagged vessel Maersk Seletar in the Arabian Sea using drones, its media relations manager however denied that the vessel had been attacked. None of the Houthi claims matched with reports from maritime security agencies, with only the UK Maritime Trade Operations reporting an explosion near the Maersk Seletar in the Red Sea a few days earlier.[569][570]
The Houthis on 7 June claimed to have targeted the Malta-flagged container ship Elbella and the Cyprus-flagged cargo ship AAL Genoa in the Red Sea with ballistic and naval missiles as well as drones, however there was no independent confirmation of the attacks. The U.S. Central Command reported that the group had launched four anti-ship ballistic missiles towards the Red Sea over the past day, with no casualties or damage being reported.[219]
The Antigua and Barbuda-flagged and German-owned cargo ship Norderney was struck by Houthi anti-ship ballistic missiles twice on 8 and 9 June in the Gulf of Aden. The Liberian-flagged and Swiss-owned container ship MSC Tavvishi was struck by Houthi missiles in the Gulf of Aden on 8 June as well. Both ships were damaged, with a small fire breaking out on the Norderney, however none of the crew were hurt.[474][571] An unidentified ship was also struck by Houthi missiles near Djibouti on 9 June, however no casualty was reported.[476]
On 12 June, the Liberian-flagged and Greek-owned cargo ship Tutor was struck twice in the Red Sea near Al Hudaydah. The Houthis stated that attacks were carried out using ballistic missiles, drones and unmanned surface vehicle (USV), their first successful use of such a device throughout the crisis. The ship began to take in water, and the Houthis claimed that she was susceptible to sinking.[478] The ship was abandoned by the crew who were evacuated, save for one member who was confirmed missing and was suspected to be trapped in the engine room.[479] Its sinking was confirmed on 19 June, with the missing crew member believed to have been killed.[50]
On 13 June, two cruise missiles launched by the Houthis struck the Palauan-flagged and Ukrainian-owned bulk cargo carrier Verbena in the Gulf of Aden, causing damage and subsequent fires on board. The attacks also severely injured an American sailor who was evacuated by U.S. forces.[40] The Houthis also claimed attacks on the Malta-flagged bulk carrier Seaguardian and Athina in the Red Sea. The attacks could not be independently confirmed though the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported an explosion near an unnamed vessel in the Red Sea, without causing any damage or casualties.[481]
On 16 June, the Houthis claimed to have targeted the ships Captain Paris and Happy Condor with missiles and drones respectively. An unidentified vessel traveling south of Mokha reported two explosions near it without suffering damage or casualties according to the UKMTO.[228]
The Palauan-flagged LNG carrier Asya Energy managed to sail through the Red Sea without any incident on 18 June, marking the first time a LNG carrier had sailed successfully through the Bab-el-Mandeb since January 2024.[572] Leading shipping associations meanwhile called for immediate action to safeguard ships passing through the Red Sea on the following day. Marine war insurance agency Vessel Protect stated that the Houthis had carried out ten strikes in June and five in May.[572]
The Houthis targeted a commercial ship in the Gulf of Aden on 21 June according to the UKMTO center said and the Joint Maritime Information Cente, with no casualties or damage being reported.[234] The Houthis on the next day identified it as the Liberian-flagged bulk carrier Transworld Navigator and stated that they had targeted it with ballistic missiles.[482] They also claimed to have targeted the Shorthorn Express in the Mediterranean Sea, but there was no independent confirmation of the attack.[236]
The Houthis targeted the Transworld Navigator again on 23 June using a USV in the Red Sea, with the crew reporting minor injuries and moderate damage to the ship. The group also claimed to have targeted the Stolt Sequoia in the Indian Ocean with cruise missiles.[483][484] The Liberian-flagged container ship MSC Sarah V reported a missile attack near it on 24 June while traveling in the Arabian Sea, without sustaining any damage or injuries to the crew.[485] The Houthis stated that they had targeted it with their newly acquired hypersonic missile called Hatem 2.[486]
The UKMTO on 26 June stated that a merchant ship reported a missile hitting the water nearby while it was passing near Aden, with the crew reported to be safe.[487] The Houthis meanwhile claimed that they targeted the Portuguese-flagged container ship MSC Manzanillo docked in Haifa in a joint operation with the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, although the IDF denied the claim.[573] A commercial ship reported being targeted by a USV near Al Hudaydah without suffering any damages or injuries to its crew on 27 June according to the UKMTO and Ambrey.[488][574]
On 28 June, the Liberian-flagged oil tanker Delonix was targeted by five missiles to the northwest of Al Hudaydah but escaped unharmed according to the UKMTO, although the Houthis claimed that it took a direct hit. The group also claimed to have targeted the bulk carrier Ioannis in the Red Sea, as well as the oil tanker Waler and the container ship Johannes Maersk in the Mediterranean Sea.[489][238]
The Houthis on 1 July claimed to have again targeted the Delonix in the Red Sea, in addition to targeting MSC Unific in the Arabian Sea, the British sealift ship Anvil Point in the Indian Ocean and the Lucky Sailor in the Mediterranean Sea. None of the attacks could be confirmed however.[575][576]
The American-flagged container ship Maersk Sentosa on 9 July reported an explosion nearby while passing through Nishtun, although reporting no injuries or damages. The Houthis claimed the attack and stated that they had carried it out using ballistic and wing missiles. The group also claimed to have attacked the Maltese-flagged container ship Marathoplis in the Arabian Sea and the Liberian-flagged MSC Patnaree III in the Gulf of Aden using UAVs.[490][577]
The Liberian-flagged tanker Mount Fuji reported an explosion near it on 10 July while travelling in through the Bab-el-Mandeb strait, with the Houthis being suspected to be behind it. The ship and the crew were reported to be safe.[491] Abdul Malik al-Houthi meanwhile on 11 July claimed that his group had attacked 166 ships associated with Israel, the U.S. and the U.K since November 2023.[578]
A merchant ship near Mokha reported one missile hitting the water near it and another exploding in the air on 11 July. The UKMTO later reported that two additional explosions had occurred near it during the day.[492][493] The Houthis on 12 July claimed to have targeted a ship called Charysalis twice in the Red Sea and Bab-el-Mandeb strait. Xinhua News Agency however stated that no such ship by the name existed, and the closest match was the Liberian-flagged oil tanker Chrysalis which was last reported to be in the Red Sea.[579] The Houthis on 14 July claimed to have targeted the MSC Unific with ballistic missiles and UAVs.[249]
On 15 July, the Houthis targeted the Panama-flagged product tanker Bentley I and the Liberian-flagged crude oil tanker Chios Lion in the Red Sea with ballistic missiles, UAVs and USVs. The Bentley I was reported by the UKMTO to have been hit twice by a USV without it exploding, while two manned boats fired at it, resulting in a gunfight before the boats withdrew. The tanker later reported four missile explosions near it. The Chios Lion meanwhile reported sustaining damage due to being struck by a USV to the northwest of Al Hudaydah according to the UKMTO. The Houthis also claimed to have targeted the Cyprus-flagged clean product tanker Olvia in the Mediterranean Sea alongside the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, the managers of the ship however denied the claim. The group stated that the attacks were carried out in retaliation foe the Israeli attack on Al-Mawasi on 13 July.[494][493][580]
The Singapore-flagged container ship Lobivia was reported to have been struck while transiting through the Gulf of Aden on 19 July, causing a fire onboard which was extinguished by its crew who were reported to be safe. The Houthis took responsibility, stating that they targeted the ship with ballistic missiles and drones.[495]
The Liberian-flagged container ship Pumba was targeted by a UAV and a USV near Mokha on 20 July, causing slight damage. The Houthis claimed the attack and stated that they targeted the ship with ballistic missiles and drones.[496][260]
Fifth phase (July 2024 – present)
The Houthis declared their drone attack on Tel Aviv in July 2024 as the beginning of the fifth phase of their attacks.[268]
The Liberian-flagged cargo ship Groton was hit by a missile on 3 August while sailing east of Aden, but received no damage and all crew members were reported to be safe.[581][273] The Houthis stated that they had targeted it with ballistic missiles.[497]
The Houthis on 7 August claimed to have hit the Liberian-flagged container ship Contship Ono while it was travelling through the Red Sea, after targeting it with UAVs and ballistic missiles. Its owner Contships Management however denied the claim and stated that the ship as well as its crew were safe.[276]
The Liberian-flagged oil tanker Delta Blue was attacked twice by Houthis near Mokha on 8 August, with militants in two boats first firing a rocket-propelled grenade, and later a missile targeting the ship. Both the projectiles exploded nearby in the water.[498] On the following day, it was targeted by a USV which was destroyed by its security team before it could hit the ship. Another missile later targeted the ship but landed in the nearby water. Both the ship and its crew were reported to be unharmed following the attacks.[499]
Two ships were targeted in the Red Sea on 13 August. The first ship to be targeted was the Liberian-flagged oil tanker Delta Atlantica, which reported two explosions near it before being targeted by another explosion after a small watercraft flashed lights at it. The ship was attacked again a few hours later, being targeted by a USV which hit the ship but did not detonate, and was destroyed by its security guards. The second ship to be attacked was the Panama-flagged crude oil tanker On Phoenix which reported an explosion nearby. Both the ships and their crew were reported to be safe.[500]
On 21 August, the Greek-flagged oil tanker Sounion was attacked multiple times to the west of Al Hudaydah. It was first attacked by two boats and was hit by multiple projectiles, with a brief gunbattle breaking out. Another attack occurred later, causing a fire and loss of engine power. The crew meanwhile however was reported to be safe[501] and was rescued on the following day by a French destroyer which was part of Operation Aspides.[289][288] The Houthis claimed the attack[502] and later attacked the ship again, publishing a video of the group purportedly setting it on fire. The United States Department of Defense stated on 28 August that the ship was still on fire and had likely started leaking oil, while those attempting to salvage it were prevented from doing so due to the Houthis threatening to attack them as well.[582] The Operation Aspides mission however denied that there was any oil leakage.[583] The office of the Permanent Representative of Iran to the United Nations later stated that the group had agreed to let salvage crews rescue the tanker.[584] The Houthis on the following day published a video of them setting off bombs on the tanker.[585] The tanker was successfully towed to a safe area without any oil spill on 16 September.[311]
Five explosions were meanwhile also reported on 21 August near the Panama-flagged bulk carrier SW North Wind I, which was sailing near Aden. None of the blasts however affected the ship or its crew. The ship was attacked again on the following day by a USV and two skiffs carrying armed men, with an explosion causing minor damage to the ship after the USV rammed it.[501][503] The Houthis claimed the attack.[502]
UKMTO stated on 26 August that a commercial ship reported being approached by a small boat with men and a ladder onboard while sailing to the southeast of Aden, but it turned back after being challenged by the ship's security team. Another ship sailing southeast of Mokha later reported sighting a USV and two small boats without being approached.[586] Ambrey meanwhile reported an incident to the southwest of Aden.[587] The chemical tanker Mutriba reported sighting a USV and three small boats on the following day while sailing west of Mokha.[588]
On 30 August, two missiles exploded near the cargo ship Groton which was sailing east of Aden, with both the ship and its crew reported to be safe.[292] The Houthis took responsibility for the attack and stated that they had carried it out using missiles, naval forces and UAVs.[589]
On 2 September, the Houthis attacked the Panama-flagged crude oil tanker Blue Lagoon I, northwest of As-Salif. The Joint Maritime Information Center meanwhile stated that Blue Lagoon I was hit with two ballistic missiles, with a third exploding nearby; however, the crew was reported to be safe.[504][294] Ambrey reported later that day that a second ship was hit by a UAV. The US Central Command identified it as the Saudi-flagged crude oil tanker Amjad, adding that there were neither casualties nor damage.[590] The ship management company Bahri, owners of Amjad, however denied that it had been targeted.[591]
On 1 October, the Houthis targeted the Panama-flagged oil tanker Cordelia Moon to the northwest of Al Hudaydah, their first attack on commercial ship in a month. Like the Andromeda Star the previous April, Houthis had mistaken a second ship managed by Margao Marine Solutions as a British vessel. The ship was first targeted with four missiles fired from a remotely piloted watercraft[592] which hit the water near it, before being struck by a USV which damaged its port side. Its crew however was reported to be safe. The Houthis stated that they had targeted the ship with eight ballistic and winged missiles, a UAV and USV, causing severe damage. The Liberian-flagged bulk carrier Minoan Courage which was sailing near the Cordelia Moon was also struck by a Houthi missile on 1 October and damaged in the attack, with its crew was reported to be safe. The Houthis however did not claim the attack, with the Combined Maritime Forces concluding that it was unintentionally hit while the group was attacking the Cordelia Moon. The Houthis meanwhile claimed to have struck the Marathopolis in the Arabian Sea with a UAV.[505][506][507]
On 10 October, the Liberian-flagged tanker Olympic Spirit was targeted by the Houthis near Al Hudaydah. The tanker was first struck by a projectile, and later two projectiles landed in the water near it. The ship received minor damage, but no fire or casualties were reported. The Houthis stated that they had targeted the ship with eleven ballistic missiles and two drones.[508]
On 18 October, the Houthis claimed to have targeted the Maltese-flagged container ship Megalopolis in the Arabian Sea using drones. None of the maritime security agencies however reported any incident occurring in relation to the ship.[593]
The Houthis on 29 October targeted the Liberian-flagged bulk carrier Motaro south of Mokha, however it managed to escape unharmed with three explosions taking place near it. The group also claimed to have attacked two other Liberian-flagged vessels, namely the SC Montreal and Maersk Kowloon, however the attacks could not be independently confirmed.[509] On 19 November, the Houthis said that they launched a missile strike towards a vessel in Red Sea. On 20 November, the Turkish Foreign Ministry denounced Houthi missile strikes on Panama-flagged dry cargo ship Anadolu S, belonging to a Turkish company, while sailing near the coast of Yemen.[594][595]
CENTCOM reported that its destroyers USS Stockdale and USS O’Kane had thwarted Houthi-launched weapons while escorting three U.S. merchant ships—Maersk Saratoga, a containership, bulker Liberty Grace and tanker Stena Impeccable—in the Gulf of Aden, south of the Red Sea during November 30 and December 1, 2024, averting any damage to ships and crews aboard.[596]
On 6 December, United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations reported that a merchant ship was listing and its crew were evacuated following an incident 105 nautical miles northwest of Hodeidah.[597]
On 16 December, an American official said that Houthis fired four drones and a missile towards three commercial vessels that was escorted by United States Navy ships in the Gulf of Aden. The American official also said that US Navy destroyers, a Navy helicopter, and a French Air Force aircraft shot down weapons launched by Houthis.[598]
Issues
Disinformation
The Houthis and their supporters have engaged in a disinformation campaign to undermine efforts to secure freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and surrounding waters by the United States and its allies and to gain recognition as a regional power.[599] On 1 February 2024, the Houthis claimed an attack on a US ship named KOI, but maritime sources told BBC that it was false.[600] Hezbollah-affiliated news outlets such as Islam Times and Al Mayadeen have backed false claims by the Houthis. On 28 January, Islam Times released footage of the 2021 X-Press Pearl fire, purporting it displayed the aftermath of a Houthi attack on a British ship. Three days later, Al Mayadeen reported that the Houthis accurately struck USS Gravely, but the claim was rejected by US officials.[601]
Social media users on platforms such as X have published old or doctored images and videos falsely claiming them as Houthi attacks. In February 2024, users on X posted the 2018 sinking of the USS Racine (LST-1191) and the X-Press Pearl disaster, claiming they showed the Houthi attacks on the Star Nasia and Morning Tide.[602] In June 2024, users posted satellite images of the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower with damage digitally edited onto it, claiming that it was the result of a Houthi attack.[599] Other mislabeled or digitally edited photographs and videos were also published purporting damage to the aircraft carrier, though some were satire.[603][604]
Footage from the Czech-based video game Arma 3 has also been used to spread disinformation about the conflict, with Russian websites such as The Intel Drop and Pravda publishing gameplay, falsely claiming it showed attacks on the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower. The video game's developers, Bohemia Interactive, said that action taken against the videos was ineffective, saying: "With every video flagged, debunked, or taken down, ten more can be uploaded each day."[599] Footage from the video game has also been misrepresented as attacks on shipping[605] and a US fighter jet being shot down by the Houthis over Sanaa.[606]
Foreign involvement
Iran
Reuters, citing unnamed Iranian sources and "a security official close to Iran", has claimed that Iranian personnel are in Yemen, working with Hezbollah militants. Their role involves directing and overseeing Houthi attacks on commercial shipping. The sources also stated that Iran has escalated its provision of advanced drones, anti-ship cruise missiles, precision-strike ballistic missiles, and medium-range missiles to the Houthis, since the outbreak of the Israel–Hamas war.[5]
US officials told Semafor that commanders and advisors from Iran's Revolutionary Guards are currently stationed in Yemen, and are directly involved in the Houthi attacks on commercial traffic in the Red Sea. The IRGC has also stationed missile and drone trainers and operators in Yemen. The Qods Force, has overseen the transfer of the attack drones, cruise missiles, and medium-range ballistic missiles which have been used in the strikes on Red Sea and Israeli targets in recent weeks.[3]
According to Western intelligence officials, the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps placed an intelligence gathering ship to guide Houthi attacks on ships that switch off radios and identifiers.[607] According to the Institute for the Study of War, this was likely MV Behshad, which had replaced MV Saviz (which had been used to supply weapons and intelligence to the Houthis until it came under an Israeli limpet mine attack in April 2021).[608] The Iranian frigate Alborz later also entered the Red Sea.[609]
In July 2024, the Defense Intelligence Agency reported that the Houthis used an Iranian-made missile in their attack on the Norwegian-flagged Strinda on 11 December 2023. Features of Iran's Tolu-4 turbojet engine, used in their Noor missile, were found in the debris. An insurance group earlier stated that an Iranian-made missile was used after examining debris aboard the vessel.[244][610]
NBC News, citing two US officials, reported in September 2024 that Iran was directly assisting the Houthis with targeting and attacking American MQ-9 Reaper drones, several of which were shot down or damaged during the Red Sea crisis. The officials did not elaborate on how Iran was helping the Houthis, but Michael Knights of the American think tank Washington Institute for Near East Policy said the Houthis received Iranian surface-to-air missiles, such as the 358 and SA-2, that allowed them to improve their air defenses and target US drones.[611]
North Korea
Voice of America reported that North Korea may have shipped weapons to the Houthis via Iran based on Hangul writing that was found on Houthi-launched missiles.[612]
Russia
In July 2024, The Wall Street Journal reported that US officials saw increasing indications that Russia was considering arming the Houthis with advanced anti-ship missiles via Iranian smuggling routes in response to US support for Ukraine during Russia's invasion.[613] However it did not follow through due to pushback by the US and Saudi Arabia.[614]
In August 2024, Middle East Eye, citing a US official, reported that personnel of Russia's GRU were stationed in Houthi-controlled parts of Yemen to assist the militia's attacks on merchant ships.[615]
In October 2024, The Wall Street Journal reported that Russia had provided intelligence to the Houthis for targeting commercial ships.[616]
War crimes
The Houthis have claimed they would target ships that had no military function, which would be a war crime, according to Human Rights Watch (HRW) and others. The HRW also noted that the detention of captured crews could be considered hostage-taking if they are detained to compel a third party to do or abstain from any act as a condition for the hostage's release or safety. Hostage-taking is a violation of international humanitarian law and a war crime. A statement issued by the HRW called upon the militants to "end their attacks on civilians caught in the crosshairs of their declared war on Israel."[617]
The HRW called the Israeli strikes on Yemen in July 2024 a possible war crime since they were apparently an "indiscriminate or disproportionate attack on civilians". It also called the Houthi drone attack on Tel Aviv that occurred one day prior to the strikes a possible war crime since it deliberately or indiscriminately targeted civilians.[618][619]
Impact
Israel and Egypt
Houthi attacks have reduced shipping to Israel and local trade. Commercial shipping to Eilat has almost completely ceased. Commercial ships coming from Asia to Israel, as well as some commercial ships not destined for Israel, have started to go around Africa, which makes the journey three weeks longer and more expensive.[620] By 21 December, over 100 container ships had been rerouted to go around Africa, each adding around 6,000 nautical miles to the trip distance.[621]
Insurance costs for commercial ships that go through the Red Sea have increased; some Israeli ships have seen an increase of 250%, and others were unable to get any insurance.[622]
While Israelis would face delays in the supply chain and price hikes, the effects on the Egyptian economy are more severe as shipping through the Suez Canal contributes nearly $9.4 billion to the Egyptian economy which is suffering from a debt crisis made worse by trade disruptions with Israel due to the war in Gaza.[623][624]
In March, Israeli media reported that half of the workers at Eilat Port were at risk of losing their jobs after the port took a major financial hit due to the crisis in the Red Sea. The Histadrut Labor Federation, the umbrella organization for hundreds of thousands of public sector workers, said port management announced it intended to fire half of the 120 Eilat Port employees.[625]
In July, the port of Eilat declared bankruptcy and requested support from the Israeli government due to its activity decreasing by 85% due to the Yemeni blockade in the Red Sea.[241][242] The annual revenue of the Suez Canal meanwhile declined to $7.2 billion for the 2023–24 financial year, down from about $9.4 billion the previous year.[626]
Global economy
Major shipping companies suspended ship traffic through the Red Sea due to the attacks, including MSC,[627] Maersk,[628] CMA CGM,[629] COSCO,[630] Hapag-Lloyd,[631] and Evergreen Marine Corporation.[632] On 18 December, the British multinational oil and gas company BP also suspended all shipments through the Red Sea.[632] Maersk, which holds about 14.8% of the market share in the global container shipping market,[633] announced on 25 December 2023 that it would resume operations soon as a result of Operation Prosperity Guardian.[634] By 30 December, Maersk had resumed Red Sea operations, but again paused them following the attacks on Maersk Guangzhou.[446] The following May, based on the second quarter of its fiscal 2024 figures, Maersk estimated a capacity loss of 15–20 percent across the industry due to the Red Sea crisis.[635]
On 12 January, Tesla said it would suspend most production from its Grünheide factory, its only factory in Europe, for two weeks starting 29 January due to supply chain issues caused by Houthi attacks.[636][637] Volvo Cars also said it would halt production from its plant in Ghent for three days starting the following week.[638] Shell plc announced a hold on "transit" through the Red Sea.[639]
On 18 December, Evergreen Marine Corporation announced it was suspending its import and export service to Israel because of risk and safety considerations.[640][641] COSCO, the fourth-largest shipping company, and its container shipping subsidiary OOCL similarly stopping all services to Israel in early January 2024.[642]
On 21 December, the CEO of the port of Eilat said the port has seen an 85% drop in activity since the Yemeni attacks on shipping in the Red Sea.[108][641] Many ships instead took a safer route, going around Africa and the Cape of Good Hope,[633] although this route incurs an extra ten days, spends more fuel, and requires more crew time.[643] The suspension of a large volume of trade through the Red Sea led to a decrease in use of the Suez Canal, and was thus a blow to the Egyptian economy.[633]
A considerable number of freighters have continued to transit, with mostly large container ships diverting away rather than other shipping, with the strait continuing to be heavily used by bulk carriers and tankers which are under different contract arrangements and often from countries supportive of Gaza's situation so perceiving a minimal risk from ongoing Houthi attacks.[644][645] In the first week of January 2024 the average number of freighters active each day in the Red Sea included 105 bulk carriers and 58 tankers, down from 115 bulk carriers and 70 tankers the week before.[646] In contrast, six of the ten largest container shipping companies were largely avoiding the Red Sea,[647] with relatively few container ships transiting the Bab al-Mandeb strait from 18 December 2023.[648]
Following China Ocean Shipping Company, the fourth-largest shipping company, and its container shipping subsidiary OOCL stopping all services to Israel,[642] a senior Houthi official said in January 2024 that Chinese and Russian vessels not connected with Israel will have safe passage.[649]
As of January 2024, most marine insurers require a warranty of no Israeli involvement to insure vessels for the Red Sea route, with some requiring warranties of no US or UK interest and no calls to Israeli ports in the last 12 months.[650]
Qatar has halted tankers of liquefied natural gas through the Bab al-Mandeb Strait after US-led airstrikes on Houthi targets in Yemen increased risks in the strait. Considering that Qatar is Europe's second-largest supplier of LNG, the long-term suspension of exports has raised concerns as the winter season begins in Europe.[651]
On 16 January, the British multinational oil and gas company Shell suspended all Red Sea shipments indefinitely due to attacks on commercial vessels.[652] Some ships traveling through the Red Sea began broadcasting "No contact Israel" on their automatic identification system in response to a Houthi request to vessels without ties to Israel.[653][646]
By February 2024, more than half of the United Kingdom's export businesses were affected by disruption to shipping in the Red Sea, with companies surveyed reporting that the costs of hiring containers increased by 300%.[654] Businesses then stated that the crisis had also caused cashflow difficulties and shortages of components on production lines.[654]
A UNCTAD analysis found that, from December 2023 to February 2024, spot container rates from Shanghai to Europe rose by 256% on average, mostly due to Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping. Compare to the same period a year earlier, there were also 42% fewer cargo ships transiting the Suez Canal.[655]
In June 2024, the US Defense Intelligence Agency reported that the Houthi attacks caused a 90% decrease in container shipping through the Red Sea from December 2023 to February 2024. Additionally, the report said that 29 energy and shipping companies across 65 countries were affected and forced to change their shipping routes, most of them choosing to go around the Cape of Good Hope which adds an extra 11,000 nautical miles (20,000 km; 13,000 mi), ten days of travel, and US$1,000,000 in fuel costs to each voyage.[656][657] The Russell Group estimated that goods worth around $1 trillion were disrupted due to Houthi attacks from October 2023 to May 2024 in the Red Sea.[658]
Humanitarian
Houthi attacks have held up shipments containing vital aid for Sudan and made it more expensive for humanitarian agencies to operate in the country, which has been the site of an ongoing armed conflict that put millions at risk of famine. Sudanese director of the International Rescue Committee Eatizaz Yousif said the attacks made shipments which normally take one or two weeks take months to reach the country, since shipping carrying aid en route to Port Sudan has been forced to navigate around Africa, traverse through the Mediterranean, and then enter the Red Sea via the Suez Canal to reach their destination.[659]
Reactions
UN Security Council
On 10 January 2024, the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 2722. The resolution, sponsored by the US and Japan, condemned the Houthi attacks, affirmed freedom of navigation and the right of member states to defend their ships, and demanded that the Houthis immediately release the Galaxy Leader and its crew.[660] The vote was 11–0, with four abstentions.[661] Among the permanent five members of the Security Council, the US, UK, and France supported the resolution, and Russia and China abstained.[661]
Israel and Egypt
In a speech at a manufacturing exposition following the incident of 27 October, President of Egypt Abdel Fattah al-Sisi urged all parties in the Israel–Hamas war to respect Egypt's sovereignty, and emphasized that the Egyptian Army was able to protect the country in case of any more attacks.[662]
In early December 2023, Israel called upon Western allies to respond to threats to maritime shipping from the Houthis; Israeli National Security Advisor Tzachi Hanegbi said that if threats continue, "we will act to remove this blockade."[521] The Southern Transitional Council reportedly said in December 2023 that it was willing to cooperate with Israel to fight against the Houthis.[663] However, Al-Islah expressed support for the Houthi response to the Israel–Hamas war, despite its opposition to Houthi actions in the Yemeni Civil War.[664]
Houthi response
On 25 January 2024, Abdul-Malik al-Houthi stated, "Our battle aims to support the Palestinian people, and has no other goals," and said that the Houthi's operations would cease once food and medicine was reaching all of Gaza.[665] On 30 January, Houthi Minister of Defence Mohamed al-Atifi stated, "We are prepared for a long-term confrontation with the forces of tyranny."[666] A Houthi spokesperson stated on 4 February 2024, "When the world became alarmed by the bloodiness of what was happening against the Palestinian people, Washington was not ashamed to deny the occurrence of genocide. Anyone who can do that can easily deny the connection between what is happening in the Red Sea and Gaza."[667]
Operation Prosperity Guardian: American-led military coalition
While the US Navy has shot down Houthi rockets and missiles in the Red Sea, it has not retaliated against those firing them.[668][669] In December 2023, after discussions with allies, the US announced the creation of a multilateral naval task force of protective escorts for commercial vessels in the Bab-el-Mandeb strait and Gulf of Aden region.[669] The operation, codenamed Operation Prosperity Guardian,[670] was formally launched on 23 December 2023.[643] It is similar to past operations protecting commercial vessels from attack, including in the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz during the "Tanker War" of the 1980s,[669] and the ongoing maritime security operations of Combined Task Force 153, the US Navy-led task force based in Bahrain.[633] The operation has also been compared to the successful multilateral naval campaign a decade earlier to combat Somali pirates off the Horn of Africa, although the Houthis, unlike the Somali pirates, enjoy Iranian support, and better equipment and technology, such as helicopters, drones, missiles, and speedboats.[671]
Independent naval patrols for maritime security
France, Italy and India have all independently sent naval assets to the region, with the French frigate Languedoc intercepting drones launched from a Houthi-controlled port while Italy has sent the frigate Virginio Fasan under the Secure Mediterranean operation.[15] India has also sent two Kolkata-class destroyers to strengthen maritime security in the Red Sea.[19]
Pro-Palestinian protests
In mid-January 2024, reports indicated that pro-Palestinian demonstrators in London voiced support for Houthi militants. This occurred shortly after the UK and the US initiated strikes on Houthi targets in response to the group's assaults on ships. Some demonstrators were observed chanting slogans like, "Yemen, Yemen make us proud, turn another ship around," while others displayed signs with messages such as "Hands off Yemen", "Thanks Yemen", and "UK+US wants war. Yemen supports Palestine. Gaza wants to live".[672]
International
Bahrain: In January 2024, Bahraini King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and Antony Blinken discussed the Houthi attacks and reaffirmed their shared commitment to ensure freedom of navigation.[673] Bahrain was the sole Arab country to join Operation Prosperity Guardian.[674]
China: The Chinese Foreign Ministry said it was concerned about the Red Sea crisis and called for an end to the attacks.[675] China abstained from UN Security Council Resolution 2722.[676]
Denmark: Denmark voiced its support for the US and UK strikes against the Houthis and warned them to halt their attacks on commercial shipping.[677]
Djibouti: Djibouti intensified coast guard patrols along the Bab-el-Mandeb amidst the crisis.[678] Djibouti Minister of Foreign Affairs Mahamoud Ali Youssouf said that the attacks demonstrate "strong solidarity with the people of Palestine" and voiced support for the Houthis. Nevertheless, he called for the Houthis to end their attacks as they impacted the country's economy.[679]
France: France condemned Houthi attacks against commercial vessels and expressed its support for the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 2722.[680]
Germany: Germany condemned Houthi attacks, describing them as violent and against international law. It said that the attacks are irresponsible and put the lives of crew members aboard vessels at risk.[681][682]
India: India held diplomatic talks with Iran and took measures to protect Indian exporters from the attacks, including increasing surveillance and providing protective escorts to Indian vessels.[683]
Iran: Iran voiced support for Houthi operations.[684] It also condemned the strikes on Houthis in Yemen, calling them "arbitrary" and saying that they violated international law.[685]
Italy: Italy said that the Houthi attacks must cease without triggering an armed conflict.[686]
Japan: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan condemned Houthi intervention in freedom of navigation, and voiced support for the United States and other nations for fulfilling their responsibility in securing free and safe navigation.[687] In November 2023, Japan said it was communicating with the Houthis and Israel to secure the release of the hijacked Galaxy Leader.[688]
Russia: Russia abstained from UN Security Council Resolution 2722 and proposed amendments that would have stripped the endorsement of Operation Prosperity Guardian and recognize the Israel–Hamas war as the root cause of the attacks.[676] It also condemned the US and UK strikes on the Houthis.[689]
Saudi Arabia: Saudi Arabia called on Iran to work towards de-escalation in the region.[690] It also urged the US to show restraint in its response to the Houthis.[691]
Somalia: Somali Ambassador to Kenya Jabril Ibrahim Abdulle said that the attacks could negatively affect Somalia's economy and voiced concern over the possibility of Al-Shabaab acquiring weapons from the Houthis via sea routes.[692]
United Arab Emirates: The UAE expressed deep concern over the consequences of the Houthi attacks and called them an "unacceptable threat".[693]
Analysis
On 7 August 2024, the head of United States naval efforts in the Middle East, Vice Admiral George Wikoff stated that the American and British approach to combat the Houthis in the Red sea crisis had failed to dissuade the Houthis and stop attacks on shipping through the region, arguing that strikes and defensive efforts had done little to change the Houthis' behaviour.[694]
See also
Notes
- The Houthis have claimed several attacks on ships in the Mediterranean, though none have been confirmed.[1]
- Political legitimacy of all Houthi-led government bodies has been rejected by the United Nations, rival Yemeni factions, the Gulf Cooperation Council, and the United States.
- Multiple sources indicate that the Iranian government has deployed military personnel to Houthi-controlled Yemen who are actively involved in attacks on commercial shipping.[3][4][5]
- Two Navy SEALs on 21 January 2024,[30] one Navy sailor on 23 March 2024[31]
References
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