Yemen’s Houthi rebels have claimed responsibility for a missile attack that set a Dutch-flagged cargo ship on fire and left it adrift in the Gulf of Aden early Wednesday. The strike highlights the Houthis’ growing military reach and their ongoing efforts to disrupt shipping in retaliation for the war in Gaza.
The incident took place on Monday, targeting the Minervagracht, a vessel operated by the Amsterdam-based company Spliethoff. This attack stands out as one of the most severe carried out by the Iranian-backed Houthis in the Gulf of Aden, which is farther from their usual area of operations in the Red Sea. Since November 2023, the Houthis have sunk four ships, making this latest strike especially concerning.
Houthi military spokesperson Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree confirmed that the rebels fired a cruise missile that hit the Minervagracht. Saree accused the ship’s owners of breaking a ban on entering Israeli ports. Initially, the US Navy’s Joint Maritime Information Center said the vessel was not linked to Israel, but updated its statement to say it was investigating possible connections.
The attack wounded two of the ship’s 19 crew members, who are from the Philippines, Russia, Sri Lanka, and Ukraine. The crew had to abandon the vessel after the missile caused serious damage. According to Operation Aspides, the European naval force monitoring the area, the ship was burning and left adrift following the crew’s rescue.
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