On Monday night, a missile struck a Israeli naval ship 40 nautical miles off the coast of Yanbu, Saudi Arabia, according to the British Maritime Trade Center.
The agency confirmed that all crew members are safe, and the vessel, flying the Liberian flag, is continuing its journey to its destination.
Israeli naval ship crew safe, vessel continues journey
The ship, identified as Israeli-owned by a British security firm, was reportedly on a list of potential Houthi targets.
The attack aligns with patterns of Houthi aggression in the Red Sea, often linked to the ongoing Gaza conflict.
Maritime security sources noted no significant damage was reported, and the crew’s safety remains a priority.
Authorities are monitoring the situation, urging heightened vigilance in the region as tensions persist.
Historical tensions between Israel and Houthis
The tensions between Israel and the Houthis, a Zaydi Shia movement from Yemen, trace back to the group’s ideological opposition to Israel, rooted in their formation in the 1990s.
Their hostility intensified after the 2003 US invasion of Iraq, aligning them with Iran-backed groups like Hezbollah.
While initially focused on domestic Yemeni struggles, the Houthis began targeting Israel symbolically.
With their rhetoric escalating during the Yemeni Civil War (2014–present), where they seized Sanaa.
Their anti-Israel stance solidified as they positioned themselves against US and Israeli influence in the region, often framing their actions as resistance to foreign aggression.
The conflict escalated significantly after Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, prompting the Houthis to launch missiles and drones at Israel in solidarity with Palestinians.
Since then, they have fired over 200 ballistic missiles and 170 drones, targeting areas like Eilat and Tel Aviv, with a notable July 2024 drone strike killing one Israeli.
Israel has retaliated with airstrikes on Houthi-controlled areas, such as Hodeidah and Sanaa, aiming to disrupt their military capabilities.
These tit-for-tat attacks, fueled by the Houthis’ control of the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait and their disruption of Red Sea shipping.
This have heightened regional tensions, with Israel struggling to counter the Houthis’ Iran-supplied arsenal and resilience despite US and Saudi efforts.
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