Houthi Attack on International Shipping - CENTCOM Statement:

🔶️ On Jan. 9, at approximately 9:15 p.m. (Sanaa time), Iranian-backed Houthis launched a complex attack of Iranian designed one-way attack UAVs (OWA UAVs), anti-ship cruise missiles, and an anti-ship ballistic missile from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen into the Southern Red Sea, towards international shipping lanes where dozens of merchant vessels were transiting.

🔶️ Eighteen OWA UAVs, two anti-ship cruise missiles, and one anti-ship ballistic missile were shot down by a combined effort of F/A-18s from USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69), USS Gravely (DDG 107), USS Laboon (DDG 58), USS Mason (DDG 87), and the United Kingdom’s HMS Diamond (D34). This is the 26th Houthi attack on commercial shipping lanes in the Red Sea since Nov. 19. There were no injuries or damage reported.

🔶️ On Jan. 3, 14 countries, including the U.S, issued a joint statement stating, "The Houthis will bear the responsibility for the consequences should they continue to threaten lives, the global economy, or the free flow of commerce in the region's critical waterways."

Are global shipping companies "throwing Israel to the dogs" as part of a deal with the Houthis?

The largest shipping companies in the world, including Maersk, IP Muller and Hapag Lloyd, today denied reports that they are holding negotiations with the Houthis that would allow their ships to sail in the Red Sea without being a target for attacks by the Yemeni rebels.

News of a possible deal led to a drop in the shares of these companies since such an agreement means a drop in shipping prices.

The reports came from a Danish source (AP Muller is a Danish company) and according to them meetings held with the Houthis already led to an agreement in principle on "safe passage". However, the Danish publication did not specify the names of the companies involved nor what it relied on.

According to the report, in exchange for the safe passage that the global companies will receive from the Houthis, they will undertake not to operate in the Israeli market.

Houthis claim delivering strike on US ship supporting Israel

Yemen-based Houthi terrorists from the Ansar Allah movement have attacked a pro-Israel U.S. ship with drones as well as with ballistic and anti-ship missiles, movement spokesman Yahya Sarea said.

"The navy, missile troops and unmanned aviation of Yemen’s armed forces have carried out a joint operation using a large number of drones and ballistic and anti-ship missiles, delivering a strike on an American ship providing support to a Zionist formation (Israel)," the military official told the Houthi-controlled Al Masirah TV channel.

Sarea stressed that the operation was a "preliminary response to a treacherous attack" by the US on December 31 when the Houthi rebels opened fire and attempted to board a container ship run by the Danish shipping company Maersk and US Navy helicopters sank three of their boats. According to the spokesman, ten members of the Ansar Allah movement were killed.