Yemen’s Houthis say they attacked U.S. military cargo ship in Gulf of Aden

CAIRO (Reuters) : Yemen’s Iran-allied Houthi movement said on Monday its forces had launched a missile attack on American military cargo ship Ocean Jazz in the Gulf of Aden.

It did not say when or precisely where the attack took place, or if any damage was caused, and there was no immediate comment or confirmation from the U.S. military.

“The Yemeni armed forces continue to retaliate to any American or British aggression against our country by targeting all sources of threat in the Red and Arab Sea,” Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea said in a statement.

U.S. and British forces have launched strikes across Yemen against Houthi forces in recent weeks in response to months of Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping that the Iran-backed fighters cast as a response to the war in Gaza.

The Houthis, who initially said they were only targeting vessels linked to Israel, said they would also attack U.S. vessels after the strikes.

British maritime security firm Ambrey said the vessel named by the Houthis on Monday had been contracted by the U.S. military.

Houthi attacks on ships in and around the Red Sea have slowed trade between Asia and Europe and alarmed world powers in an escalation of the war in Gaza.

The Houthis, who control most of Yemen, say their attacks are in solidarity with Palestinians under attack from Israel in Gaza.