U.S. Central Command said on Tuesday that Iranian-backed Houthi terrorists in Yemen struck a cargo ship that was carrying humanitarian aid to the people of Yemen.
The news comes as the terrorists shot down a U.S. drone this week, severely damaged a British cargo ship, and launched countless additional attacks on ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
“On February 19, between 12:30 p.m. and 1:50 p.m. (Sanaa time), Iranian-backed Houthi terrorists fired two anti-ship ballistic missiles at M/V Sea Champion, a Greek-flagged, U.S.-owned bulk carrier bound for the port of Aden in Yemen,” CENTCOM said in a statement. “One of the missiles detonated near the ship causing minor damage. Nevertheless, her crew proceeded on course to their ultimate destination: delivering grain to Aden, Yemen, for the benefit of the Yemeni people. M/V Sea Champion has delivered humanitarian aid to Yemen 11 times in the past five years.”
“Houthi aggression in the region has exacerbated already high levels of need in conflict-impacted Yemen, which remains one of the largest humanitarian crises in the world, with nearly 80 percent of the entire population needing humanitarian assistance,” the statement continued. “We are committed to countering the Houthis’ malign activities, which directly endanger the imports of foodstuff and humanitarian aid to Yemen.”
CENTCOM said that U.S. forces destroyed a surface-to-air missile launcher, shot down 11 one-way attack (OWA) unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) and an anti-ship cruise missile over the last day and a half.
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“The OWA UAVs, the SAM system, and ASCM destroyed were identified by CENTCOM and determined they presented imminent threats to U.S. Navy ships and merchant vessels in the region,” the statement said. “These actions will protect navigational rights and freedoms and make international waters safer and more secure for U.S. Navy and merchant vessels.”