US-owned vessel struck in Houthi attack near the Red Sea: Official

A US official said that an American-owned and operated vessel was struck in an attack that was launched from Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen on Wednesday.

The vessel was not US-flagged. After being hit, the ship continued on its journey, according to the official.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) group reported that a vessel had been targeted and caught fire after being struck by an Uncrewed Aerial System southeast of Yemen’s Aden. The US official confirmed that the ship in that report was American-owned.

An official statement is expected later in the day.

Wednesday’s attack is the latest in a string of Houthi operations targeting US and international commercial ships as well as American warships in the region over what it says is in response to the Gaza war. Washington on Wednesday reneged on a previous decision to revoke the Houthi’s terror designation, which was one of the first foreign policy moves made by the Biden administration after taking office.

The Iran-backed Houthis vowed to press ahead with its attacks and said the move to add them back on the Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) list would not impact them.

Last week, the US carried out its first airstrikes against the Houthis inside of Yemen after repeated warnings for the group to stop attacking vessels transiting through the Red Sea. The Houthis have claimed that all their targets were ships intended for Israel.