By Julian Jansen
In the tumultuous waters of the Gulf of Aden, a sailor found himself in a perilous predicament when a cargo ship was blasted by not one, but two cruise missiles launched by the Houthis in Yemen, as reported by the US military.
Swift action ensued as the injured seafarer was whisked away via airlift to seek urgent medical attention on another vessel, disclosed the US Central Command (CentCom). Meanwhile, amidst the chaos, crew members valiantly battled a raging inferno aboard the MV Verbena – a vessel sporting a Palauan flag, owned by Ukrainians, and operated by Poles.
Adding to the drama, CentCom later revealed their hand in obliterating two Houthi patrol boats, an unmanned surface vessel, and a drone in the Red Sea within a mere 24-hour span. “It was deemed imperative to neutralize these threats, deemed imminent to US, coalition forces, and merchant vessels in the vicinity,” CentCom sternly declared in a statement, tinged with a hint of exasperation.
The Houthis, never ones to let a day go by without a spectacle, claimed responsibility for a trio of ship assaults within the same timeframe, including the aforementioned strike on the MV Verbena. Their justification? “Retaliation for the injustices inflicted upon our brethren in the Gaza Strip, and in response to the American-British saber-rattling against our homeland,” they proclaimed.
This latest act of maritime aggression follows hot on the heels of an incident involving a Greek-owned vessel in the Red Sea, where the vessel was left battling severe flooding courtesy of Houthi munitions.
Painting themselves as stalwart defenders in an Iranian-led “axis of resistance” against the usual suspects – Israel, the US, and the broader Western world – the Houthi insurgents have been on a tear since November. They’ve been unleashing havoc on vessels they deem connected to Israel in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, all while waving the banner of solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.
In response to these maritime shenanigans, the US and the UK have been playing their own game of tit-for-tat, launching strikes on Houthi targets within Yemen. Naturally, this has provoked the ire of the Houthis, who have retaliated by targeting vessels they believe are tied to these belligerent nations.
“It’s quite the paradox,” mused CentCom, dripping with sarcasm. “The Houthis claim to champion the cause of Gaza’s Palestinians, yet here they are, imperiling the lives of innocent sailors who wouldn’t know Gaza from a garden gnome.”
The rebel faction’s antics have prompted a maritime exodus, with many shipping companies opting to steer clear of these treacherous waters, which typically host about 12% of the world’s seaborne trade.
In the latest episode of their nautical drama, the Houthis set their sights on the Tutor, a vessel flying the Liberian flag, utilizing a sea drone in the Red Sea. Miraculously, there were no casualties reported, leaving observers to ponder what maritime misadventure awaits next in this ongoing saga of seafaring strife.
