CNN —A Houthi ballistic missile attack on a commercial ship in the Gulf of Aden resulted in at least two fatalities among the crew members, two US officials told CNN, marking the first time that the Iran-backed militant group has killed anyone as part of their ongoing attacks on ships transiting the Red Sea.
The attack struck the M/V True Confidence, a Barbados-flagged, Liberian-owned bulk carrier, the officials said.
The ship has since been abandoned and coalition warships are now in the area assessing the situation, the officials said.
The strike marks a significant escalation of the Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping, which began in October in response to Israel’s war in Gaza.
The passage links the Red Sea with the Mediterranean Sea, allowing ships to cut thousands of miles off shipping routes instead of sailing around Africa.
Persons:
Pete Nguyen, Nguyen, Biden, Sabrina Singh, ”, “, Dwight D
Organizations:
CNN, Liberian, Naval, US, Defense Department, US Central Command, Houthi, Pentagon, Eisenhower, United Nations
Locations:
Gulf, Aden, Iran, Barbados, Gaza, Red, Yemen, Suez, Africa