Houthi rebels attack Israel, set fire to cargo ship

DUBAI, EMIRATES UNITED ARAB

Yemen’s Houthi rebels launched attacks Thursday on both Israel and a ship traveling through the Gulf of Aden, setting the vessel ablaze and again demonstrating their ability to launch assaults despite facing U.S.-led airstrikes targeting their forces.

The rebels’ supreme leader, Abdul Malik alHouthi, announced an “the escalation in sea operations” conducted by his forces as part of what they describe a pressure campaign to end Israel’s war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip. But the Houthis’ targets have grown more random since their attacks began in November, endangering a vital waterway for cargo and energy shipments traveling from Asia and the Middle East onward to Europe.

The attack Thursday in the Gulf of Aden saw two missiles fired at a Palauflagged cargo ship named Islander, the U.S. military’s Central Command said. A European naval force in the region described the attack as sparking a fire and wounding one sailor on board the vessel, though the ship is continuing on its way.

The Islander had been coming from Thailand bound for Egypt and previously sent out messages saying “SYRIAN CREW ON BOARD” to potentially avoid being targeted by the Houthis. Other vessels similarly have sent messages identifying their crews as Muslims or not affiliated with Israel to try and avoid rebel attacks.

Meanwhile, sirens sounded early Thursday morning over the southern Israeli port of Eilat, followed by videos posted online of what appeared to be an interception in the sky overhead.

The Israeli military later said the interception was carried out by its Arrow missile defense system.

Israel did not identify what the fire was, nor where it came from. However, the Arrow system intercepts long-range ballistic missiles with a warhead designed to destroy targets while they are in space.

The system “successfully intercepted a launch which was identified in the area of the Red Sea and was en route to Israel,” the Israeli military said. “The target did not cross into Israeli territory and did not pose a threat to civilians.”

Eilat, on the Red Sea, is a key port city of Israel. On Oct. 31, Houthis first claimed a missile-anddrone barrage targeting the city. The rebels have claimed other attacks targeting Eilat, which have caused no damage in the city.

Since November, the rebels have repeatedly targeted ships in the Red Sea and surrounding waters over the Israel-Hamas war.