Houthi missile attack severely injures sailor on cargo ship

The Houthis have been targeting vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden since November 2023. (AFP/File)

Two cruise missiles launched by Yemen’s Houthi have struck a bulk cargo carrier in the Gulf of Aden, severely injuring one of the crew. The armed Houthi group sees itself "axis of resistance" against Israel, the US and the wider West.

The Houthis say the action is in solidarity with the Palestinians over Israel’s war on Gaza, in which at least 37,232 people have been killed.

The Houthis said it had carried out attacks on three ships over 24 hours, including on the Verbena, “in retaliation to the crimes committed against our people in the Gaza Strip, and in response to the American-British aggression against our country”.

It added that crew members were fighting a fire on board the MV Verbena - a Palauan-flagged, Ukrainian-owned, Polish-operated ship.

Russia Condemns US, UK ‘Pointless Strikes' in Red Sea

Russia condemns the United States' and United Kingdom's strikes in the Red Sea and considers them "pointless," Russian Ambassador to the United Nations Vassily Nebenzia said on Thursday.

"We condemn the strikes by the US- and UK-led coalition targeting the sovereign territory of Yemen. This aggression is being perpetrated in violation of the UN Charter. It is pointless insofar as it cannot stop the attacks in the Red Sea," Nebenzia said during a meeting of the UN Security Council on the situation concerning Yemen.

Nebenzia said that these "reckless instances" of the use of force by NATO countries leave behind them a stain of blood.

On June 7, United Nations spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said the Allah Ansar movement in Yemen - whose supporters are popularly known as Houthis - had detained 11 UN personnel. Three days later, the Houthis said they detained spies linked to the US Central Intelligence Agency for allegedly carrying out intelligence and sabotage activities in Yemen.

In November 2023, the Houthis vowed to attack any ships associated with Israel until it halts military actions in the Gaza Strip. The attacks prompted the United States to form a multinational coalition to protect shipping in the Red Sea as well as to strike Houthi targets on the ground.

In November 2023, the Houthis vowed to attack any ships associated with Israel until it halts military actions in the Gaza Strip. The attacks prompted the United States to form a multinational coalition to protect shipping in the Red Sea as well as to strike Houthi targets on the ground.