US-Owned Container Ship Hit by Houthi Missile in Gulf of Aden

Iran-backed Houthi rebels have claimed responsibility for the recent attack on an American-owned commercial vessel in shipping lanes off Yemen.

The bulk carrier Gibraltar Eagle off Kristiansand, Norway, on June 29, 2023. AP Photo

Only a day after launching an anti-ship cruise missile at a U.S. destroyer in the Red Sea, Iran-backed Houthi rebels have struck again, this time hitting an American-owned commercial vessel off the coast of Yemen.

U.S. Central Command said in a Jan.15 statement that the anti-ship ballistic missile was fired from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen and struck the American-owned and operated Eagle Gibraltar, a Marshall Islands bulk carrier passing through the Gulf of Aden.

“The ship has reported no injuries or significant damage and is continuing its journey,” the statement said.

According to Central Command, earlier the same day, rebels launched another anti-ship ballistic missile toward the Southern Red Sea commercial shipping lanes. The rocket didn’t get anywhere near its intended target though, and hit land in Yemen. So far, there have been no injuries or damage reported from either strikes.

In a media statement, the Eagle Gibraltar’s owner, Eagle Bulk Shipping, a Stamford, Connecticut-based firm, said the attack has caused “limited damage,” and that all “seafarers onboard the vessel are confirmed to be uninjured.”

Following the latest attack, the U.S. Maritime Administration has warned U.S. owned ships to avoid traveling near Yemen until further notice due to the ongoing “risk to commercial vessels.” They did acknowledge the decision ultimately rests with the “individual vessels and companies” on what shipping lanes they decide to use.

Houthis Now Targeting US and British Ships

Houthi rebels have claimed responsibility for multiple attacks on commercial and warships passing through the busy shipping corridor near Yemen.

As a result of the danger and damage to vessels, several major shipping companies and oil firms have already decided to suspend transit through the important Middle East trading route until further notice.

According to the White House, more than 50 nations have been affected by the roughly 27 attacks carried out so far. An estimated 10 percent of the world’s trade passes through the area.

Initially, the rebels said their strikes were about showing support for Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, and pressuring Israel to stop its war against Hamas. However, in a recorded statement aired the same day as the attack on the Eagle Gibraltar, Houthi military spokesman General Yahya Sarea said they are now targeting all U.S. and British ships.

“The Yemeni armed forces consider all American and British ships and warships participating in the aggression against our country as hostile targets,” he said.

After months of attacks in the shipping corridor, President Joe Biden ordered a series of strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen on Jan. 11. The U.S. forces were joined by military units from the United Kingdom, with support from Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, and Bahrain.

The Houthi, who control most of Yemen, have ignored calls from the United Nations to halt their missile and drone attacks on ships using the Red Sea trade routes. The United States has previously warned of severe consequences if the attacks continue.

On Jan. 10, the U.N. Security Council adopted a resolution condemning Houthi attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea and also called for Iran to cease its support of the rebels because without help, “the Houthis would struggle to effectively track and strike vessels.”