Yemen’s Houthi rebels claim attack on Singapore-flagged vessel off Aden
We reported earlier that a vessel has been hit by unknown projectiles 83 nautical miles (153km) southeast of the Yemeni city of Aden, according to UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) and the British security firm Ambrey.
The crew on the vessel, which UKMTO and Ambrey have not identified, were reported to be safe.
Yemen’s Houthi militia has now claimed responsibility for the attack. Its military spokesperson Yahya Saree said its fighters used ballistic missiles as well as drones and achieved a direct hit on the Singapore-flagged vessel Lobivia off Aden.
He added that the attack was carried out because the company that owns the ship “violated the decision to ban entry into the ports of occupied Palestine”.
“The Israeli enemy’s continuation of committing massacres in Gaza will only push us to further support operations for the oppressed Palestinian people,” said his statement published on Telegram.
Yemenis hold pro-Palestinian rally in Houthi-held Sanaa
The protest was held in the Yemeni capital, which the Houthis control
UN chief says Houthis’ drone attack on Tel Aviv poses risk of escalation
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has condemned a drone strike on Tel Aviv claimed by Yemen’s Houthis, expressing concern over a possible further escalation.
“The Secretary-General remains deeply concerned about the risk such dangerous acts pose for further escalation in the region,” spokesperson Farhan Haq said, calling for “maximum restraint”.
Yemen’s Houthi rebels claim they used an undetectable drone to strike a building near the US embassy’s office in Tel Aviv early today.
EU condemns ‘indiscriminate shelling’ of civilians after Houthi drone attack in Israel
EU spokeswoman Nabila Massrali says the bloc “firmly condemns” the “indiscriminate” Houthi-claimed drone attack on Tel Aviv that killed one person earlier today.
“International Humanitarian Law strictly prohibits indiscriminate shelling of civilian population centres and applies to all actors at all times without exception,” Massrali said.
How significant are the Houthi drone strikes in Tel Aviv?
Despite being just 80km (50 miles) from Gaza, Tel Aviv has been almost untouched by the carnage unfolding within the enclave since October.
The drone strike within Tel Aviv, the centre for much of Israel’s diplomatic functions, points to the growing reach of the Houthi arsenal, say analysts.
“The Houthis have claimed many attacks on Israel before, but there’s little evidence to indicate most of those came anywhere close to hitting, and certainly not kill and injure like this one,” independent Yemen analyst Nick Brumfield told Al Jazeera.
“Notably, this is the first publicly confirmed Houthi strike in the Mediterranean rather than the Red Sea or Gulf of Aden.”
