Houthi Oil Tanker Attack... "US and UK Conduct Two Airstrikes on Yemeni Ports"

The United States and the United Kingdom reportedly carried out two airstrikes targeting the port of Ras Isa in Hodeidah, Yemen, according to major foreign media citing Al Masirah TV, a media outlet operated by the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, on the 27th (local time). These airstrikes came after the Houthis attacked a US Navy warship and a British tanker in the Gulf of Aden, which connects to the Red Sea, the previous day.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The Iran-supported Houthi rebels have repeatedly attacked commercial vessels passing through the Red Sea and its vicinity dozens of times since November last year to demonstrate solidarity with Hamas, the Palestinian armed faction currently at war with Israel.

However, they have shown restraint in provoking nearby Middle Eastern oil-producing countries or attacking large tankers, so the strike on the tanker the previous day may indicate an escalation in the level of threat.

In response to Houthi attacks, the United States launched a multinational naval coalition to secure the safety of the Red Sea, a major global trade route, and has been conducting airstrikes on Houthi military facilities within Yemen since the 12th.

Nevertheless, the Houthis have expressed their intention to retaliate and show no signs of backing down, continuing their attacks on vessels, thereby heightening tensions in the Red Sea.