Yemen’s Houthis kill 16 government soldiers; A British agency reports an attack on a cargo ship in the Red Sea
A cargo ship was attacked on Sunday off the coast of Yemen in the Red Sea, the British military said, the latest naval attack in the conflict-ridden Arab country.
Also this weekend, Yemen’s Houthi rebels 16 soldiers were killed in an attack by pro-government forces, in some of the most violent fighting between the sides in years.
Both incidents were reported near the port city of Hodeidah, which is under the control of the Iranian rebel group.
The United Kingdom’s Maritime Trade Operations Center said the vessel reported being “under attack by unknown armed attackers” 30 miles southwest of Hodeida.
The boat approached the bulk carrier and opened fire, forcing the guards to return fire, before returning to the larger vessel 2 miles away with its automatic identification system disabled, UKMTO said. The cargo ship and crew were reported safe, the British military said, adding that authorities were investigating.
None of the groups immediately attacked. The Houthis have threatened to start attacking ships again. A Houthi spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Earlier, the rebels fired drones and missiles at ships passing through the territory they control near the Bab al-Mandab Strait at the southern end of the Red Sea. Their attack during the Gaza war it forced the shipping companies to return the ships near the southern tip of Africa instead of going through the Suez Canal at the northern end of the Red Sea.
Attacks by government forces were reported south of Hodeidah, two health officials told AFP on Sunday. Hospitals in the area received 16 dead and 22 injured, sources said. An official with the coalition forces called it “the deadliest Houthi attack in years.”
The Houthis have them he was at war with the government since 2015 in a war that has killed hundreds of thousands of people and created a huge humanitarian crisis in Yemen.
The officer said the Iran-backed Houthis briefly took pro-government positions in the conflict, which began late Friday, before launching an offensive to resume early Saturday. He said the rebels attacked with thugs, many of whom were victims, before launching drone and mortar salvos.
Another military official said the fighting had led to “deaths of wounded among the (Houthi) factions,” but did not provide numbers or other details.
Rebels control Yemen’s capital Sanaa and much of the north, including Hodeidah on Yemen’s western coast of the Red Sea, while the internationally recognized government controls much of the south.
The war between the two sides has been closed since an agreement was reached with the UN in 2022. But on Friday the Houthis threatened airports and important assets of Saudi Arabia, a major supporter of the Aden-based Yemeni government. The rebel group, which is part of Iran’s “axis of resistance” against Israel and the United States, accused the regime of trying to stop the Iranian plane from landing.
