The Associated Press is reporting that a British military cargo ship came under fire today off the Red Sea coast of Yemen controlled by the Iranian-supported Houthi rebels. Some have threatened to use the Bab al-Mandab strait as a choke point for ships transiting the Red Sea to and from the Suez Canal. From the AP's report:
"A cargo ship came under attack Sunday off the coast of Yemen in the Red Sea, the British military said, the latest maritime attack off the conflict-torn Arab country.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center reported the attack off the coastal city of Hodeida, which is under control of the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels.
The UKMTO said the ship reported being “under attack by unknown armed assailants” 30 nautical miles (55 kilometers) southwest of Hodeida. [snip]
The Houthis have threatened to begin attacking ships again, though they have not been carrying out attacks. A Houthi spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The rebels previously fired drones and missiles at ships that pass by territory they control near the narrow Bab al-Mandab Strait at the southern end of the Red Sea. Their attacks over the course of the Gaza war forced shipping companies to reroute vessels around the southern tip of Africa instead of through the Suez Canal at the northern end of the Red Sea." (our emphasis)
Russian war criminal Putin's little barking dog Dmitry Medvedev noted the Bab al-Mandab strait represents a potential "thermonuclear weapon" for Iran and its Houthi allies. Remember that this all began with the reckless and violent Malignant Fascist following Netanyahu's cue in attacking Iran in February, triggering a conflict that has yet to be resolved.
(photo: satellite view of the Bab al-Mandab strait / Wikipedia)
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